Falling Through Time
by following-the-spiders221
Summary: Deeply shaken by Sirius's death, Hermione somehow manages to travel backwards in time for moments, minutes, hours,and whenever he needs her. She wanted to be there for him. She didn't want him to face it all alone.
1. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

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><p><strong>Hey everyone. <strong>

**Ok so, i**nspiration** of this fic; I got the idea after watching The Time Traveller's wife. I will make some changes but thats where i got the inspiration for the plot (if that makes sense lol)**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. The part about Sirius's death I took almost directly out of Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix but that is it. **

**Thanks**

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><p><em><strong>Later edit:<strong>_

_**So I changed some very slight things because of **_inconstancies_** that I've only just noticed.**_

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><p><em>Remember me when I am gone away, Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day You tell me of our future that you plann'd: Only remember me; you understand It will be late to counsel then or pray. Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve: For if the darkness and corruption leave A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad.<em>

_- Remember by Christina Rossetti-_

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><p>Harry Potter wasn't the only member of the golden trio to be shaken at Sirius's death.<p>

Another person he knew wept for the loss of the friend, hero and condemned man.

She had always felt strange around Sirius Black. Sometimes he would look at her as if he was expecting her to say something, or like she was an old, old friend, whom he had waited for such a long time to see.

When Hermione Granger had stayed at Grimmauld Place in previous summers she had got to know the ex convict. When she couldn't sleep, he was always there to talk to all night. She told him everything. And in their years at Hogwarts, Harry hadn't been the only one writing to Sirius.

When he fell into the veil... it was like he called out her name. Her head shot to watch his death play out in front of her.

His final minutes were burned into Hermione's memory.

Dumbledore had just appeared and only one pair were still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Hermione saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light; he was laughing at her.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room. The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest. The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock. It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.

While Harry cried out, Hermione screamed on the inside.

"Have you ever been in love Sirius?"

It was a question she had asked in one of her letters to him. She had been exasperated with boys in general at the time. It had been just before Viktor had asked her to the Yule Ball. It had been maddening, listening to Ron and Harry talking about being lumbered without a date. She knew she would only earn pity if she went alone. But the two people she could even consider going with, were her two best friends. She hadn't wanted a date. Just someone to have a laugh with. But they wanted a beautiful girl to accompany them and she just didn't fit the bill. It was lucky Viktor asked her or she may've had to go with Ron as a pity date.

"I was in love. Still am. With the same girl. I see her from time to time. She always seems to be there. Just when I need her. I will always love her, until the day I die."

That was his answer.

Hermione had kept all of Sirius's letters, every single one. She had packed them in a shoebox and put them in a very secret pocket of her beaded bag.

It was 18th June 1998 when the letters wriggled their way into Hermione's head once more. The second anniversary of his death. Over a month since the death of Voldemort. Harry had asked for everyone to keep him company. Harry had been a wreck last year, when left alone on Sirius's anniversary. Hermione was squished onto the sofa between Harry and George in the living room of the Burrow.

Her ex boyfriend Ron stood with his arm around his girlfriend Lavender Brown. The baby Teddy was playing with toys in the middle of the room. Molly and Arthur Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Neville Longbottom with his arm around Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Bill Weasley, Percy Weasley, Hagrid and others were all around the room. But it made the gaps more noticeable.

Usually there would be Remus Lupin with his arm around Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody would be muttering to himself in the corner, Fred would be distracting George's attention. Dumbledore may or may not have shown up. It was clear this gathering was not only a memorial for Sirius but for the others who had left them over the last seven years. Even for the people who wouldn't have turned up like Severus Snape and magical creatures and animals like Hedwig and Dobby.

Hermione left the living room to be alone in the kitchen when the question she had asked Sirius came to her. Thinking of Sirius made tears well up in her eyes.

She wanted to meet the love of his life. She wanted to know here the hell she had been all the times Sirius had needed her recently. Why hadn't she been there at the funeral? Why hadn't she joined the Order of the Phoenix? Who the hell was she?

It was then she felt like her stomach was being ripped open and she was lifted off her feet.

When she felt the floor again she wasn't on the carpeted Burrow living room anymore.

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><p><strong>Author's note<strong>

**Thanks for reading guys. Let me know what you think! I wanna know if you guys want me to continue or not :)**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

**Disclaimer- I do not own the characters or places mentioned in this story, the wonderful and talented JK Rowling does.**

Hermione looked around the familiar room. It was familiar but different. It looked like Sirius's bedroom in Grimmauld Place. But there wasn't shade of red or gold in sight. Everything was different shades of grey, green and black. Plus there was a teddy perched on the bed and some toys in a corner.

There were no pictures around the room and it gave off a very formidable air. The bed lined one wall, the desk another with the toys in said corner and that was it.

"Do as your mother says Sirius! Stop acting like such a mudblood, behave like the good pureblooded son that you are! Why can't you be more like your brother?" a deep male voice shouted from downstairs.

"Sorry father. I'll try harder. I just don't understand why we have to treat people so meanly" a young boy's voice said more quietly. It sounded like the boy was crying.

"Go to your room" Hermione heard a woman's voice that she recognised from the portrait of Sirius's mother.

Light footsteps sounded as Hermione heard the young Sirius running up the stairs, away from his parents. When the door knob turned Hermione started to panic. The laws of time specifically stated that when travelling in time (that must have been what she'd done, she reasoned) she couldn't be seen.

But it was too late.

"Who are you?" a very calm 8 year old Sirius Black asked after closing the door. He was quite short and very skinny. His hair was still shaggy but his dark eyes held an appearance of innocence that got lost somewhere through the years. He could've been a poster boy for anything and just looking into those tear filled eyes, Hermione stumbled forward and hugged the small boy.

The boy, seeing that she wasn't a threat, hugged her for a second then stepped away.

"Who are you?" he asked again walking slowly and sitting on his bed. Hermione mentally kicked herself. He probably thought she was some sort of freak. She could picture herself as an 8 year old, she would've been screaming if she'd found a strange woman in her room who'd hugged her.

"My name's Hermione. I'm a friend" Hermione smiled and sat down next to him.

"My father said I shouldn't have friends. Allies he says, is the closest you should get to friends. And he's told me to never ever trust anyone with anything. Friends are just weaknesses" Sirius recited. He looked up at Hermione with wide eyes.

"Well that's a lie Sirius-"

"How do you know my name?" the boy was looking fearfully up at her.

"I told you, I'm a friend. Your father probably doesn't want you to have friends because he hasn't got any himself" Hermione smiled kindly. This made Sirius laugh. You could tell that even at this early age Sirius wasn't his father's biggest fan.

"so what did you do to make your parents so angry?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I gave some of my pocket money to a homeless muggle. We were shopping in London and we had muggle money because we needed some non magic things. Mother says we shouldn't be nice to muggles. Muggles and mudbloods are stains on the wizarding world. I should treat them like the filth that they are, according to father. But I don't see what's so different between us. They are people like us aren't they?" Sirius questioned his parent's beliefs. It broke Hermione's heart to hear these words leaking from Sirius's mouth.

"Now listen to me Sirius Black. Don't believe your parents. Mudbloods, Half Bloods, Purebloods and Blood Traitors are all equal and none of them are filth. Muggles are just people without magic but they have as many feelings as you do and are worth exactly the same. Don't be the horrible person your parents want you to be, you're better than that. You know it. You are a good person Sirius" Hermione took the boys hand and smiled comfortingly. Sirius beamed up at her.

"I knew it!" he grinned triumphantly and hugged Hermione laughing with glee.

But then it happened. It happened as suddenly as before although the process was slower this time. She started fading.

"What's going on?" Sirius cried out.

"Don't worry. It's just time for me to leave" Hermione answered.

"Don't leave me"

"Don't worry. I'll see you again" Hermione smiled just before she disappeared completely.

And then Hermione was back in the Burrow's kitchen.

"There you are Hermione! We were wondering where you had gone" Ginny appeared in front of her.

"Where did you go?" the red head asked curiously.

"Nowhere" Hermione breathed. She looked to the photo of Sirius as a grown man on the fireplace in the kitchen. She looked at the picture and smiled.

"You are a good person Sirius" she said again in her head. She hoped she could visit him again soon.

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><p><strong>Hey thanks for reading. It was shorter than I planned but I think I will have one visit per chapter for now.<strong>

**I won't update this often usually but at the moment i may. lol :) **

**And yes I will have her visiting Sirius as a child at least once more, because I just have him pictured in my head saying write more about me! lol **

**so remember **

**LOVE IT / LIKE IT / HATE IT / REVIEW IT!**

**Thanks**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

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><p><strong>Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this fanfiction.<strong>

As the week passed Hermione visited young Sirius many times and with each visit she could feel him trust her and warm to her more. She could see him slowly getting older and on the last visit she knew he was at least two years older than he was on her first. He told her everything. He asked everything. She had discovered Sirius was a very curious child but also had a sense of justice and fairness which his parents didn't seem to like.

Hermione told him about the prejudice against muggleborns and muggles. She told him about what his parent's views were too. She never told him what to believe. She knew he needed to pick his own path and his own beliefs. But she didn't want him thinking his parents views were the only options. She was very careful to only talk about things that a boy growing up in his era would know about. Not for the first time, she was glad she paid attention in history of magic and had read so many books.

Hermione was sat in her flat, reading when she felt the oh-so-familiar tug in the pit of her stomach. Fortunately it had only been her first trip that felt like her stomach was being ripped apart. Since, it had just felt like mild cramp.

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><p>Sirius jumped to his feet, from the bed, when Hermione materialized in his bedroom like she had so many times before. He was squealing excitedly clutching a white piece of parchment in his hand.<p>

"Look Hermione! Look!" He thrusted the parchment into her hands.

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><p><strong>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry<strong>

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**  
><strong>(<em>Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,<em>**  
><strong><em>Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards<em>)**

**Dear Mr. Black,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**  
><strong>Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.<strong>

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall**  
><em><strong>Deputy Headmistress<strong>_

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><p>Hermione finished reading the letter to see Sirius beaming up at her with pure delight on his face. She smiled excitedly with him because she knew what was around the corner for him. He was going to make two amazing friends (and one traitorous one but she couldn't do anything to prevent that). He was going to become one of the most notorious troublemakers Hogwarts has seen and one of the idols of Fred and George Weasley. He was going to have so much fun. It was just what happened after school, she wasn't looking forward to.<p>

"That's brilliant Sirius!" Hermione smiled warmly.

"I know!" Sirius laughed. It was when he laughed that Hermione saw the older Sirius in him. When he threw back his head of hair (which was getting shaggier and shaggier) and laughed she was hit with a pang of sadness that she would never see her Sirius laugh ever again.

"Hermione? Did you go to Hogwarts?" Sirius asked her, bringing her out of her memories of his older self. Hermione nodded. "Tell me about it?" Sirius asked hopefully.

And she did. She told him about the lake with the giant squid, the forbidden forest, the library, Hogsmeade, the room of requirement (she knew he would find this useful later on), the classrooms, the lessons, the teachers (that would have been teaching in his time of course), the Christmas feast, the Halloween feast, the food, the Great Hall, the common room, the houses…

"My whole family have been in Slytherin" Sirius's excitement seemed to burst like a bubble as he admitted this gloomily. "What if I am too?" he voiced his fear. Hermione paused for a moment.

"There's nothing wrong with being in Slytherin. Not all Slytherins are bad. But anyway, you strike me more like a Gryffindor, like me" Hermione smiled comfortingly.

"What if no one likes me?" Sirius admitted another fear.

"Trust me Sirius, they'd be mad not to" Hermione grinned. This brightened Sirius up again.

"Yeah I guess. But how could anyone have liked you?" Her grinned teasingly. Hermione took a playful swipe at him laughing along with him. As he had trusted her more, he had got more relaxed around her. He made her laugh so much she cried. She had never had a little brother but she knew if she had had one, she would've wanted him to be like Sirius.

"Ok fine I take that back, why would anyone like such show off like you!" Hermione teased back and he grinned confidently.

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><p>It was then Hermione felt herself start to fade. She waved goodbye and waited to be back in her flat. But that wasn't where she appeared next. This place she knew very, very well. There were crowds of students flooding the platform. Some with parents, some greeting friends and some boarding the magnificent scarlet train with the words The Hogwarts Express on the side. The sign reading Platform 9¾ fluttered in the slight breeze.<p>

She was still in the past. She could tell because she was right by a family who had a first year son, who was the splitting image of Harry Potter. The Potters were saying their goodbyes and Hermione couldn't help but marvel. James looked exactly like Harry, down to the tiniest detail. Except for the eyes. She knew well enough Harry had his mother's eyes.

"Hermione?" A surprised but happy voice came from behind her. She turned to see Sirius approaching her. She hugged him.

"Nervous?" Hermione grinned as Sirius shook his head confidently. He was alone. His parents hadn't even accompanied him on his first day. Sirius didn't seem to mind though; he was too busy going up and down on the balls of his feet. Hermione recognized his nervous habit. She found his hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"Hey, you see that boy over there? The one with the black hair and glasses?" Hermione pointed at James.

"I think you two would really hit it off. Go talk to him" Hermione grinned encouragingly. Sirius did as she said and before long, the pair where talking animatedly, boarding the train. Before he entered however, Sirius checked the platform for Hermione.

But she had already gone.

**Author's note **

**Thanks for reading :) So Sirius has started Hogwarts! Yay. And I hope you had a fab Christmas and a happy new year, even if it's a little late. :)**

**Remember:**

**LOVE IT / LIKE IT / HATE IT / REVIEW IT**

**Thanks :)**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Disclaimer- I do not own the places or characters mentioned or starring in this fanfiction. The amazing, wonderful and talented JK Rowling does. **

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><p>It wasn't until a couple of weeks later did Hermione visit Sirius again. She, Harry, Ron and the rest of Hogwarts had to repeat the year that had been so horrible and terrifying. It was a relief to be back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The teachers had restored it to its former splendour and dignity. And the school was as marvellous as it had ever been. Despite the terrible memories that had taken place in these halls, the classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts were as comforting to Hermione as they had ever been.<p>

Professor McGonagall was head mistress and Mr Weasley was filling in until they found a new muggle studies teacher. He loved teaching this subject so much, that he had even suggested quitting his job at the ministry to take up the role of permanent professor. Luckily, Mrs Weasley had squashed that idea before Arthur had asked Professor McGonagall. Hermione had attended a few of his classes; he had spent the whole time talking about how wonderful electikity is and how interesting his collection of plugs was.

Hermione was in the common room, reading Hogwarts A History (What else?) when she felt the familiar tugging that meant she was to visit the young ex convict. Hurriedly, she dropped the book and stood up. She had gotten up early that morning so no one was around to see as the bushy haired Gryffindor faded from sight. The feeling was met with relief. It had been longer than ever before since her last visit. She had started to worry that she wasn't going to see Sirius again.

She appeared to still be in the Gryffindor common room, except this common room's windows showed late night darkness. The room was exactly the same as it was in her day. It was deserted but she could hear voices from the stairs that lead to the boys' dormitory.

"Aww, come on Moony, live a little!" A laugh came from out of view. Hermione looked around for a place to hide. She knew that Moony was Remus Lupin but who knew who the other was? She couldn't let them see her! She crouched down behind one of the armchairs.

"Yeah, all we'll do is give Filtch a little extra work that's all!" Another laughing voice said. They were coming closer.

"Maybe Remus is right. I'm still serving detention for the last prank you guys dragged me into" A higher, squeakier voice said.

"Well, you should have run faster, Wormy, then you wouldn't have gotten caught" The first voice said.

"I'm going to lose my prefect's badge if I get detention again this week, goodnight" A grumbling voice that belonged to Remus said and then she heard footsteps heading away from the common room.

"Me too" Peter Pettigrew squeaked. Another set of footsteps. But the voices that could only belong to Sirius Black and James Potter were coming ever closer. Finally the two boys entered the common room and they both took lounging positions on the chairs. Hermione was hiding behind James's.

She had to hold in a gasp when she saw the two boys.

James was Harry. Down to every last detail. Except the eyes. James's eyes were blue, not the piercing green that Harry owned. He was tall and skinny with rumpled, messy, unkempt hair. Although the colour was different, the sparkle that lit up in Harry's eyes when he was laughing was there in James's. He looked like he was in his 5th year, maybe 6th? He also had that distinct look of being well cared for that Harry had always lacked. James also didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders, like Harry had had up until a few months ago.

When she saw Sirius, she did a double take. Where had this guy come from? What had happened to the little boy, she had grown so fond of? He was at least 4 year older. He was taller than James and more muscular. He looked... well he looked like a male model in all honesty. Even when sitting he seemed to be dripping confidence. He sure had lost the childish innocence and the worries too. He must have been about 15, 16. He looked happy. Happier than she had ever seen him. She couldn't believe she missed so much. His hair was longer and shaggier but in a more "I mean to look like this" way. He had a sort of grace that you could clearly see even when sitting. He gave the impression he could twist anyone around his little finger. Probably could, looking like that. He was slightly broader shouldered than James but that just added to his good looks. Hermione found herself wishing there had been a boy who had looked like that when she was in the 5th year.

When she was looking at Sirius, she accidently knocked against the table next to the chair. A book that had been resting on it fell to the ground with a loud thump.

"Who's there?" James jumped to his feet, clearly angry that someone might have been eavesdropping on them. Hermione thanked merlin that she at least had on her Gryffindor uniform. Cautiously, she stood, revealing her presence to the two boys.

"Who are you?" James asked confused. She looked like an older looking 7th year, but he could've sworn he'd never seen her before. Sirius's eyes met Hermione's for a second and then they turned cold.

"Sorry, I was just..." Hermione failed to come up with an explanation for her being there.

"She was coming to meet me. Sorry, I'd forgotten" Sirius said stonily. James clearly understood to leave him alone with Hermione.

"Blimey Sirius, run out of girls in our year? You've moved on to the 7th year?" James grinned but he saw the seriousness in Sirius's eye and quickly back out of the common room. When James left, Sirius turned his back on Hermione.

"Where were you?" He said quietly. It was the harshest voice she'd ever heard him use.

"What?"

"Where have you been, the last 4 years? Hmmm? Where were you? I thought you were never coming back!" the hurt in his voice was clearer now.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to come back, but I couldn't!" Hermione said softly.

"What do you mean you couldn't? Who are you anyway? I'm not some little kid anymore. I deserve answers. Who are you? Where do you come from and how can you just appear in Hogwarts? And why is it never seem to get older?" Sirius turned to face her, his arms crossed over his chest.

"My name is Hermione Jones. I live in Godric's Hollow. I'm here because I apperated. I couldn't get time off work to come see you until now" the lies rolled of her tongue; it killed her to lie to him.

"You can't apperate inside Hogwarts, it says so in Hogwarts A History. And if you're working why are you wearing a Gryffindor uniform? Maybe I should alert Professor Dumbledore to the fact, a stranger has broken into the school" Sirius said. "I know you are lying to me. I think I deserve to know the truth. Or did you never care at all?"

Tears filled Hermione's eyes. Despite his harsh words and her building tears, Hermione still felt a rush of pride that Sirius found Hogwarts A History worth remembering.

She was quiet for a long time, debating internally what to say to him.

"I can't tell you because I'm from the future" Hermione said finally deciding on the truth. He raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"I am. My name is Hermione Granger and I'm from 1998. For some reason a couple of weeks ago, yes it's only been a couple of weeks for me, I travelled back in time. I don't know how it works and I can't control when I come back. I know you in the future." Hermione said. "But I can't tell you anymore than that!"

"Prove it. Tell me something that I've never told you. Something the 'older me' told you." He said disbelievingly.

"Remus Lupin is a Werewolf. He got bitten when he was a young child. He hides in the Shrieking Shack every month and you; James Potter and Peter Pettigrew look after him in your animagus forms. You are a dog and they call you Padfoot. James is a stag and you guys call him Prongs and Peter is a rat and you call him Wormtail. And you call Remus, Moony" Hermione said without hesitation.

Sirius gaped at her.

"How can you know that? We've- I've only just became an animagus a few days ago, how...?"

"I told you I'm from the future" Hermione insisted. "I'm so sorry I missed out on 4 years, it's only been a few days for me. Please forgive me". Sirius looked into her eyes as if searching for something. Finally he grinned. That familiar, lop sided grin.

"I guess" He grinned and moved forward and enveloped her into a hug. It felt strange, he was taller than her now, although still 4 years younger. She drew back and smiled at him. Playfully she messed up his long hair, as if he was in his dog form now.

"I have to say I'm impressed you guys managed to do it. To become an animagus, you have to do some extremely difficult magic, that many grown wizards struggle to perform. Congratulations" Hermione beamed. Sirius puffed out his chest with pride.

"I can't say it was easy but we managed" he said feigning modesty. "And it's awesome!".

"So what have I missed out on?" Hermione asked as they fell onto one of the sofas. Sirius smirked and began to tell her all about his time at Hogwarts so far.

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><p>Although it only felt like minutes, a couple of hours past. Hermione and Sirius laughed at his and his friends antics and it was as if they had never been apart. He was in some ways more mature now, and in other ways still so childish. She felt more like she was his old, old friend rather than an aunt or replacement mother like she used to feel. She half missed the child Sirius. But then she knew that the 15 year old in front of her was still the same, scared, confused, playful and funny little boy she had grown to love so dearly. And he would grow up to be the brave, tragic, funny and amazing man that she had known. Sirius was so different. When he was older, there was always a twinge of pain behind every smile, which you had to look really hard to see. He was a lot more serious when he was older but still up for a laugh also. This boy never took life too seriously and seemed not to have a care in the world.<p>

The sky was just turning the breathtaking pink of early morning, when Hermione felt herself fading back to her own time.

"I've got to go now Sirius" she said. "I'll see you as soon as I can, be good".

"I think you and I both know that isn't going to happen" Sirius grinned.

"Fine, just don't do any lasting damage to you or the school?" Hermione smiled back, she was barely there now.

"I'll try" Sirius answered.

Then she was back in her common room, just in time to meet Harry and Ron as they groggily stumbled into the room.

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><p><strong>Author's note<strong>

**Hey peeps :) Thanks for reading :)**

**I just want to thank lily, wildflowerxx12 and Uhlowl22 for their reviews. Now for the rest of you, thanks for following and reading but come on 3 reviews? I've got this whole story planned out and (hopefully lol) its gonna be good, sad and enjoyable, but I may not continue if I don't get any response, (hint, hint lol :) ). **

**Thanks for reading and remember you're reviews make my day. **


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters or places mentioned in this fanfic. **

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><p>"That was awesome!" Sirius yelled in triumph as he, James, Remus and Peter bounded into their dormitory.<p>

"Flitch never saw it coming!" James laughed.

"Honestly the look on his face!" Remus chuckled.

"Not so worried about your precious prefect badge anymore?" Sirius raised an eyebrow at his friend. Remus simply shrugged.

"They've let me keep it for over year anyway. If they haven't taken it away from me yet, with everything we've done so far, I doubt they ever will" Remus grinned and James laughed.

"Are you sure he didn't see us?" Peter squeaked nervously.

"Honestly Peter, stop being such a worry wart" James laughed. They were so busy talking, the boys didn't notice the woman materialise silently, into the corner of the room, until she tripped over a stray shoe lying in the middle of the corner's floor.

Quick as a wink, three wands were pointed at her and the three sixth year boys glared at her.

"Who are you?" James said, even though he was sure he had seen the girl somewhere before. He had the strange feeling that it had happened before as well but he couldn't quite remember when. The woman was pretty. And she was wearing the Gryffindor robes that every Gryffindor girl wore. But none of the boys could remember if she was a seventh year or not.

The young woman had incredibly, seemingly impossibly bushy hair that was a deep brown colour. Her eyes were brown also but seemed to hold so much knowledge and compassion; it was difficult to look her in the eye. She had pale milky skin that contrasted with her hair in what the boys would all agree, was a complimentary way. James, Remus and Peter, who were all looking at her with their wands drawn, had to admit she was hot. Of course, 16 and 17 year old boys think any slightly attractive woman is hot but there was something different about her.

Sirius was the only one who hadn't drawn his wand. Since the visit when she had explained everything, he had grown used to her appearing in the most unlikely of places. The boys' bathroom, the 4th floor corridor, the kitchens, just some of the examples that sprang to mind. But this was the first time she had come face to face with his best friends. Well, technically she had already met James but that didn't really count. Sirius was watching the scene in front of him, trying desperately not to laugh. Seeing this, Hermione scowled and poked her tongue out at Sirius.

With identical expressions of confusion, James, Remus and Peter looked to Sirius for an explanation. Sirius however was too busy letting out his repressed laughter.

"I'm glad you find it so funny, Sirius" Hermione said feigning a stern expression. It seemed the closer their ages got, the closer the pair had become. The other three boys were so confused it was easy for Hermione to push past them and greet Sirius with a hug.

"Er, Sirius who is this?" Remus asked his friend.

"Now that question has many answers, all of them true but probably not what you're looking for." Sirius grinned. Hermione pushed him slightly on the chest.

"I'm Hermione Granger" she figured it was easier to tell them the truth, especially considering she would meet both Remus and Peter later in their lives. "I'm...a close friend of Sirius's family. I visit him occasionally". Sirius nodded in agreement.

"I thought you hated all your family's friends" James said, clearly not believing in a word she said.

"I do. Hermione is not really a friend of the family. She is the daughter of a close friend of the family; my family hates her about as much as I hate them, so of course we get along famously." Sirius explained. James still looked disbelieving but he seemed to believe the words that came out of Sirius's mouth more than he believed Hermione's.

"How did you get in? If you don't go here why are you wearing Gryffindor robes?" Remus, as logical as ever, questioned. Peter hadn't said anything; he was too busy staring at Hermione in a way that made her quite uncomfortable.

"Oi, Wormtail, her eyes are up here you numpty" Sirius said to Peter, a little harshly, this caused the mousey boy to jump and for Hermione's cheeks to flush a light pink.

"I used the secret passage to Honeydukes. I wear the robes because Sirius said it would help me too blend in. I'm not exactly allowed to visit him you see; my parents hate him about as much as his parents hate me." Hermione said ignoring Peter, although the blush didn't fade from her cheeks. This made James's face light up.

"So you're a rule breaker too!" He said delightedly. "What school do you go to then if you don't attend Hogwarts?". Although his voice didn't show it, James was still unconvinced by Hermione's story. But he would challenge Sirius on that later.

"I go to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. My parents think it's a better school than Hogwarts." Hermione was almost surprised how easily the lies were falling from her mouth. She wasn't sure if they would believe her story however easy it was to lie.

After at least another half an hour of answering their questions with more lies, they seemed happy with her story. When they were happy with it, she pulled Sirius with her into the common room. The room was by no means empty this time. It was the middle of the afternoon in this Hogwarts. Hermione and Sirius found themselves a corner where they would not be overheard.

"Well I think that went rather well" Sirius grinned cheerily. Hermione raised her eyebrows at him.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't believe a word we just said." Hermione exclaimed in annoyance.

"Well, you're the one who started the lies. I don't understand why I can't tell them who you are! They are my best friends; I know they would keep this secret. I trust them all with my life" Sirius told her, a seemingly pleading look on his face.

Hermione wanted to cry when she heard these words. She had never fully realised just to what extent Sirius had trusted Peter. It made his betrayal even worse.

"I'm going to have to tell Remus eventually, or you will. I know him quite well in the future and he mustn't give anything away to me. I guess you can tell him what I told you. But you mustn't tell James or Peter" Hermione seemed to be talking more to herself than to Sirius.

"You know Lupin and me but not Peter and James?" Sirius asked confused. Hermione cursed her badly chosen words mentally.

"You guys kinda go your separate ways after Hogwarts" Hermione said carefully. It was sort of the truth. The look of pure disbelief on Sirius's face, made her stomach squirm.

"Well the future isn't fixed, I'm going to make damn sure we stick together" Sirius grinned his cheeky, arrogant smile. Hermione grinned too. It was hard not to smile when Sirius flashes one of those grins at you.

"Sure" Hermione said, "But please don't tell him". Sirius reluctantly nodded, with his fingers crossed out of sight. He knew it was childish to use such a way to deceive someone, but he had to tell James. He already knew the chaser was going to tackle him about the mysterious "friend of the family" as soon as Hermione left anyway. He could never keep secrets from James; the black haired boy had a talent for getting things out of him.

At Sirius's nod, Hermione relaxed. Geez, all this time travel stuff was getting complicated. It was already getting difficult to keep track of all of the lies she had already told.

The pair sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"How old are you Sirius?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"17" he answered.

"How much longer is it till the end of the year?"

"4 weeks"

He was rapidly catching her up. He was just two years younger than her now. She had just turned 19. She knew he would 18 in a few months. She wondered whether once they reached the same age they would grow up at the same time. It was an interesting thought.

"Sirius! Oh wait she's still here" James had come bounding down the stairs and into the common room. Several heads turned to look at the noise but then they resumed their previous activity. James had been going to try and find out who Hermione really was.

"Not for much longer" Hermione whispered quickly to Sirius. She could feel herself fading. She couldn't just fade in the middle of the common room! She would be seen and Sirius would have to answer some very difficult questions on her behalf. Quickly she stood, squeezed Sirius's hand in goodbye and ran through the portrait hole and found an empty classroom, there she disappeared without the worry of being seen.

James stared after the girl who had just (it seemed) ran away.

"Geez Padfoot what did you do to make her leave so quick?" James grinned and took the seat Hermione had just vacated. Sirius prepared for the onslaught of question that he knew for sure was to come.

"You know I don't believe all that tripe you just told us about her right?" James said quietly.

"Yeah" Sirius said not meeting his best friend's eyes.

"You gonna tell me the whole story"

"No"

"Gonna tell me who she really is?"

"No"

"Gonna tell me her real name? Because come on, Hermione Granger? That's a name that's only used in stories; no one's real name is something like that! It's much too poetic and all that rubbish" James half laughed.

"Trust me it's her real name" Sirius answered.

"Ah ha! Finally and multi-worded answer!" James laughed but he also had a half guilty look on his face for making fun of her name.

"Shut up" Sirius grinned.

"Come on, Padfoot. You know you can tell me anything" James said.

"Trust me, you won't believe me" Sirius finally met his friend's eyes.

"Go on" James encouraged. Sirius took a deep breath.

"She's from the future" Sirius said seriously. James burst out laughing.

"Come on, mate, quit the jokes just tell me" James laughed.

"I'm serious" Sirius said.

"We all know you're name" James chuckled at his own bad joke that he had used countless times before.

"James, she really is from the future" James studied Sirius's face for a moment searching for a hint of a lie. He found nothing.

"Blimey" James said.

"I know" Sirius grinned.

"Is that why you like her then? We thought you were just going after the looks but..." James grinned cheerily. That was one of Sirius's favourite things about James. He took everything into his stride and accepted anything as long as he knew you weren't lying.

"What?" Sirius said confused.

"It's pretty clear you fancy her Sirius" James smirked.

"I-I- I do not fancy her" Sirius had gone a deep red.

"You so do! Even Wormy saw it and you know how blind he is when it comes to girls" James chuckled.

"I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't" Sirius growled.

"Come on Sirius. It's alright to like her. She's hot. Come on she's what 18, 19? You could easily get in there" James said what he thought was encouragement.

"Shut up! Don't talk about her like that! She isn't just a piece of skirt James. She's a person. She's kind and smart and caring and funny and she isn't just a girl to pick then drop, so don't you dare talk about her like that!" Sirius shouted.

James raised an eyebrow at him. Sirius had jumped to his feet without realising.

James was quiet for a moment.

"So you're in love with her then?" the scruffy black aired boy said kindly. Sirius fell back onto his chair and buried his face him his hands.

"You have no idea".

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><p><strong>Author's note<strong>

**I LOVE YOU GUYS! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, I've honestly been walking around with a huge beam on my face because of them! Also as you can see if you reviews lots, I update quicker ! Thank you so so much! **

**And as an answer to Anna's question, there will be a sort of explanation in chapter 12.**

**Keep the reviews coming :) lol **

**This story is going to be about 25 chapters long and I already know the ending. But you'll have to wait to find out what it is muhahahaha!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters of places mentioned in this fanfic. I am not JK Rowling, because if I was George would still have his twin :(**

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><p>As the scarlet Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade station, Sirius felt nostalgia rush over him. It was his last year Hogwarts. His last year as a student. Next year he was on his own in the big wide world. He was terrified but he also couldn't wait.<p>

Hermione had visited him several times over the holidays and he had spent a blissful summer with James and James's parents. He thought of James's house as home now and Grimmauld Place was a distant memory. He was happy, so happy. He felt this was THE year, the year everything went right. He could feel it in his bones and James had (stupidly) convinced Sirius to tell Hermione that he loved her the next time she visited.

Sirius still wasn't sure why he had promised he would. What if he spoilt everything? Hermione was his oldest and dearest friend, what if, if she felt awkward around him, she never came back? He didn't have to worry though. Not for a while at least. It wasn't until the first snowfall of that winter, that Hermione visited again.

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><p>Hermione was enjoying her last year at Hogwarts. Everyone was. The dark memories that lay in the walls were not forgotten but put to the back of the students' minds. It was their beloved school and sanctuary once more.<p>

Hermione true to form was studying furiously. Although she adored spending time in the past, she worried desperately that it was distracting her from her studies. Harry and Ron had never seen her putting so much into her homework. Of course they didn't know. No one knew.

She had been walking, alone, to Charms when she felt herself fading. It was early spring and the weather had been warm that morning. So when Hermione found herself stuck in snow up to her knees, she let out a gasp of cold. She was shivering within minutes.

"Oi, er, are ya all right?" a loud voice said from behind her. She was shivering so much, she couldn't manage a response. There was a noise of something moving through the snow. It was a man. A huge man. He had black, thick short beard growing from his chin that made most of his facial features hard to distinguish and long, thick black hair down his back. He wore a brown coat with an amazing amount of pockets, which seemed a little too big for him, despite his size. Then Hermione recognised him. Hagrid was smaller than he was in her time and looked a lot younger too.

"H-H-Hag-Hag-rid?" her teeth chatted.

Hagrid smiled warmly and immediately took off his huge coat.

"Put that on. Keep ya warm" Hagrid handed the coat over. Hermione put it on thankfully.

"Wh-What about yo-you?" Hermione said, her speech gradually coming back to her as she nestled under the warmth of his coat. Hagrid shook his head.

"Me? Nah, I don't get cold easy. I wear the coat for the pockets" Hagrid replied cheerily. "Come on, let's get you inside". The huge man put a hand on her shoulder and guided her to the entrance of the castle.

It was quite a long walk, made even more difficult due to the heavy snow but eventually she made it.

"Thank you Hagrid" Hermione smiled.

"Oh, that's, that's quite alright, er" Hagrid seemed like he wasn't used to being thanked. Hermione handed the half giant his coat.

"I'll find someone to escort you to your common room. Er, Sirius Black?" Hagrid said calling over the dark hair boy who was had only just entered the hallway.

"Yeah Hagri- Hermione?" Sirius grinned happily when he saw his friend. Hermione beamed back.

"Er, Sirius can you take Hermione..." it was then Hagrid realised he didn't know the student's last name.

"Hermione Granger" Hermione filled in her name.

"Er, Hermione Granger to the common room. She's just got caught out in the snow" Hagrid said and Sirius nodded. Sirius linked arms with Hermione and together they walked away.

"Bye Hagrid" Hermione called over her shoulder. Hagrid waved one of his huge hands after her. She must've been a 7th year, but he couldn't place her face.

"Hagrid please don't block the hallways" Professor McGonagall shoed him out of her way.

"Er, excuse me, Professor? Is Hermione Granger a seventh year?" Hagrid asked the transfiguration teacher. He thought if he at least knew her year, he might be able to remember who she was. No stranger was ever that nice to him.

"Hermione what?" Professor McGonagall said, with an air of suspecting her time was being wasted.

"Granger"

"There has never been a student at this school with that name for as long as I've been here. And as you know I have quite an excellent memory." Professor McGonagall said sternly and then turned on her heel and left the utterly confused games keeper.

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><p>"Merry Christmas!" Sirius grinned as soon as they were out of Hagrid's ear shot.<p>

"From where I've come from you're over three months late" Hermione grinned.

"Well here I'm too weeks early" Sirius laughed and poked his tongue out at her. "What were you doing out in the snow? Even Herbology had to be cancelled because no one can get to the Greenhouses without freezing".

"I just appeared there. It was lucky Hagrid found me" Hermione grinned.

"The games keeper? You mean he didn't tripped and squash you flat? He's so clumsy, who knows why Dumbledore even keeps him at this school! Did you know he was so rubbish at school they expelled him" Sirius laughed, not noticing until it was too late that Hermione was slowly drawing out her wand. She pressed the tip of the wood against his neck and pushed him up against a nearby wall.

"Don't. You. Dare. Talk. About. Hagrid. Like" Hermione glared terrifyingly. She punctuated every word with a sharp jab with her wand onto his neck. "Hagrid is a brilliant gameskeeper, he may be a little eccentric but he is one of the best, kindest, and bravest men I've ever met. He was expelled from school because he was framed and don't you forget it!". Sirius looked terrified. He'd never seen this side of Hermione before and it truly scared him.

"I-I-I'm sorry" he whispered. Hermione stood back and Sirius relaxed a little. Hermione's hardened expression hadn't yet faded and she didn't meet Sirius's eyes for a few seconds.

"So what have I missed?" Hermione said and continued walking. Sirius had to run a few steps to catch her up.

"Well, James and Lily have finally got together" Sirius said, lighting up as he saw Hermione's pleased expression. She had heard a lot about James's attempts at winning his future wife over. "I know about time right?". Sirius seemed to get his confidence back. Hermione's anger had shaken him.

When they reached the common room, Hermione was as relaxed as she was usually. Sirius was still treading lightly but he was sure she had forgiven him now. When they entered the common room, it seemed like everyone was running out of it.

"Sirius!" James found them in the sea of moving people. He ran over to him. "Oh, hey Hermione" James grinned at her. They had become good friends over the summer, but she didn't know he knew who she really was.

"Where's everyone going?" Sirius asked his friend.

"The teachers have arranged a special Hogsmeade visit. They've managed to clear a path for the students to use. They said something about letting us get some fresh air or something" James said gleefully.

"James!" A pretty, red-haired girl was beckoning James over. James ran over to Lily Evans and the pair followed the others, leaving the common room.

"You go" Hermione smiled. She remembered how tight the security to get out of the castle was. She'd never be able to go considering they wouldn't even recognise her as a student. Sirius shook his head. "Go Sirius. Go have fun with your friends" Hermione said.

"I know there will be another Hogsmeade weekend. Who knows when you'll come back again" Sirius whispered. This caused Hermione to beam. She hugged Sirius, silently thanking him.

"I think I know just the place to go instead" Sirius grinned and took her hand in a friendly way. He was going to tell her. But he was going to tell her at the right time. He led her to the room of requirement. Sirius entered the room first.

Hermione stayed outside, her feet firmly stuck to the floor. Memories of the last time she had ventured into that room were still burned into her memories. She remembered diving out of the way of the killing curse, which had only just missed. She remembered the flames, licking up the room and lighting it with a menacing glow. She remembered Draco's Malfoy's frantic face as they searched for a way out.

"Hermione?" Sirius came to see why she was stood outside the door. When she saw his familiar, concerned expression, more memories came to her. Memories of the DA. Harry teaching everyone with ease. The satisfaction of knowing they were beating Umbridge. The friends she had made and the people who had made that group so special. Some were gone forever, but the memories would stay alive.

"Sorry, I'm coming" Hermione took a deep, steadying breath and stepped into the room. Sirius had transformed it into a sort of living room. There was a plush, soft, and comfy looking sofa in the middle of the room and a variety of chairs. There was a bookcase in one corner and even a window.

Out of the window wasn't the grounds covered in snow as it should be, it was instead a view Hermione would have gotten out of her bedroom window at her parents' house. Hermione ran to the window and looked lovingly at the view. The washing from her parents' next door neighbours garden, was fluttering in the breeze. There was the swing that her father had tied to the gardens huge tree when she was little and couldn't be bothered to take down. That too was swaying slightly. There was her mother's shed. Hermione knew if you looked inside it, you'd find her mother's garden equipment. Her father had never really cared much about the state of the garden. His swing was his first and last contribution. There were children playing in the park nearby and Hermione sighed at the view. She missed home. She hadn't had time to get her parents from Australia yet and she hadn't been to that house in a while.

"What do you see?" Sirius asked. Hermione sent a confused look at him.

"I said for the room to show a view that the person looking at it would want to see" Sirius mumbled, seemingly embarrassed that he had come up with an idea like that.

"Oh" Hermione smiled. "I see my garden. From my parent's house. What do you see?" Hermione asked and Sirius moved to the window.

"I see the view from my bedroom at James's" Sirius shrugged. He was lying. The window actually showed a memory. It was a scene from the summer and he was watching as the three of them, Sirius, James and Hermione had had a water fight. Except they used no water guns, just their wands. They were laughing and it seemed that they didn't have a care in the world. He couldn't tell Hermione that though.

Tentatively, Sirius reached out and took Hermione's hand gently. Hermione gasped his hand as they both stared into the window. Slowly, Sirius edged closer to her. If this wasn't the moment to tell her he didn't know what was. He had certainly been with many girls before Hermione but over the last few months he hadn't been able to stop himself comparing them to the bushy haired time traveller.

"Hermione..." Sirius began, she turned to look at him and his voice failed. Well, if he couldn't tell her, he'd show her. He leaned down and brought his lips to meet hers. Hermione gasped in surprised and shock against his lips. He leaned back but Hermione brought their lips together again, moving with each other's almost possessively. Sirius broke the kiss.

"Surely you know, Hermione. I love you" he whispered. Hermione stared at him, horror- struck. This couldn't be happening! She was already messing up the time line enough without this. She shouldn't have kissed him back she knew that. But she hadn't been able to help herself.

"I can't... I can't" Hermione gasped and ran from the room. As she ran she heard Sirius coming after her, but she also felt herself fading. She turned another corner and then she was gone.

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><p><strong>Duh Duh Dahhhhhh! Lol<strong>

**Author's note **

**Hey guys. Happy pancake day :) yummy! So he's told her! Hermione was a bit suprised I can tell you. I've actually written the last chapter to this fanfic. So the ending is decided! I havn't written the rest though so you will have to wait and see. But remember reviews make me update a lot quicker (hinting me? I never do that lol).**

**IS SHE GOING TO CHANGE THE FUTURE? WAIT AND SEE!**

**phoenixflamesimmortal = The reason he is growing up fast is so there isn't a really creepy age difference. I'm getting them to the same age then they will age at the same time.**

**Thanks for all the reviews, they mean the world. :)**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Disclaimer- I do not own the characters or places mentioned in this story. That belong to our Queen, JK Rowling.**

**This chapter is dedicated to EVERYONE who has reviewed so far!**

**acelili, Anna, Booklover9477, pheonixflamesimmortal, tuityfruity333, Emgirl3396, jujulicia, Lily, Auelle, aphaia, Weasley-and-Proud, BloodLess18, ItsOnMars, Uhlowl22, wildflowerxx12**

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><p>Hermione cursed herself as soon as she returned to the Gryffindor Common room. Why? Why did everything have to go belly up? He can't be in love with her. It was messed up in so many ways. It's not like they could ever have a proper relationship, not with her irregular visits. She couldn't let herself fall in love with him. Not now, not ever. She'd felt the undeniable attraction. But she had been ignoring it. Why couldn't Sirius do the same? Besides, Hermione knew his history. Sirius never had a long term relationship! He was a ladies' man, never settling down! Well except for the girl he mentioned in his letter. She needed to let the timelines play out or he may never meet the girl.<p>

Sirius knew she was gone as soon as he rounded the corner. Frustrated, he kicked a nearby wall. He could've sworn he heard his toes crack on impact but he ignored the shooting pain from his toes. He had messed it up. He wasn't sure how but he had messed it up! She had run away from him. Angry tears threatened to fall, but he was Sirius Black. He never cried. Especially not over a girl. But she wasn't just a girl. She wasn't just a piece of skirt that he would use, then loose. She was Hermione. She was the woman who had made him feel safe since he was eight years old. The woman who always listened and always cared. The woman who laughed at all his jokes and made him laugh at hers. He loved this woman. He loved her. Why couldn't she see that? Sure, it would be difficult. But they could manage. Her visits could turn into dates. He hoped she would visit him again. He was scared that because she had run, she would never ever come back.

For both Hermione and Sirius, Months passed swiftly. It wasn't until the last week of both of their school years that they would meet again.

Hermione had gotten top marks in her NEWTs as expected. She could finally relax. She hadn't seen Sirius since spring. Maybe this meant the visits were over. She felt bad about that. She wanted to see him again but she knew it would be just too awkward. But she also wanted to kiss him again, like before. But whenever she had thoughts like these she quickly squashed them. Sirius was forbidden fruit. But unlike her counterparts in the past and future, she would restrain from eating. She would use her self control.

Sirius had gotten good marks. Not perfect but pretty good. It was only a week until his year was released into the big wide world. He was scared but excited. A dark wizard was recruiting outside the school and several Slytherins were planning to join him. Sirius, James, Remus and Peter were all planning on joining an organisation called the Order of the Phoenix. It was run by Professor Dumbledore and it was to try and prevent the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort coming to power. It was exciting. Surely it wouldn't be too difficult, not with Dumbledore as a leader. Lily and James were all loved up and loved big romantic displays of affection in front of everyone. Sirius constantly teased them but he was so happy for this friend. James had everything he'd ever wanted and he deserved it. If only Sirius could have the same. Ever since Hermione's rejection, Sirius had started playing with girl's hearts like a maniac. There were only a very small number of girls at the school who hadn't had some form of romantic encounter with him. But none of them were Hermione so they didn't last long. James was worried about him. Sirius had never actually told him what Hermione had said on her last visit. But he had guessed it wasn't good news.

Sirius had taken to haunting the library between and after lessons. It had always been Hermione's favourite place and he figured if she ever visited again, she would be calmer if she was in here. He had discovered he loved reading. Sure, he had read books before but he had never really discovered why people liked them so much. Now he had. He had read all the fiction books in the library and decided maybe he should give non- fiction a try. He was browsing the time travel section (hey it was worth a look) when he heard a book fall off a shelf a few yards away from him. He went to return the book to its previous position on the shelf. As he did so he saw a pair of familiar brown eyes in the gap. Hermione's eyes. She hadn't seen him.

Hermione was in the library. Although lessons were over there was always more to discover. She had been so immersed in her browsing she didn't even notice herself fade and reappear. She reached for a book and knocked the one behind it off the shelf without realising. She studied the book's cover and blurb.

"HERMIONE!" she heard the shout and sighed, annoyed.

"What have I told you, Ron, about shouting in the library?" Hermione scolded and then looked up to the approaching figure. It wasn't Ron. Her eyes widened with shock and apprehension.

"Who's Ron?" Sirius Black asked with almost a jealous tone. Was Ron her boyfriend? He couldn't suppress that worry.

Hermione looked almost scared of him. She ignored his question.

"I'm sorry I ran Sirius" she said quietly. This caused a premature smile of glee to form on his face.

"Does that mean-"

"No. Sirius, come on you know it could never work out" Hermione interrupted him. "I should have told you that then, running away was cowardly".

"But Hermione I love you" Sirius said softly.

"No you don't Sirius. Can't you see how messed up that is?" Hermione said trying to be stern.

"No it feels right" Sirius said. He stepped forwards and put a hand on her arm. She shivered at his touch.

"Hermione you can't honestly tell me you don't feel the spark between us. You can't tell me you can't feel the attraction. And you can't tell me you didn't kiss me back" Sirius told her. He moved still closer.

"Sirius please don't" Hermione warned him feebly. Sirius ignored her.

"I'm not asking you to marry me Hermione. All I want is to be able to hold you, to kiss you, to tell you how amazing and beautiful you are. All I want is to be able to say when you're mine whenever you visit me. If you ever meet my friends again I want to be able to say, that's my girl and I want to tell you I love you" Sirius whispered softly and sweetly. Hermione tried to shake her head but Sirius put his hands on either side of her face.

"We could never have a real relationship. Sirius you're gonna meet a girl who you are really going to love. And if you waste your time waiting for me..."

"Hermione right now I love you. That's what matters. Here and now. We don't have to worry about the future. I can face anything if I know when you visit I'll be able to do this" Then Sirius kissed her. He moved his hands to her back and pulled her closer to him. Hermione felt her self control slip and dance away and her hands were weaving their way into his long hair.

They kissed for a long time. It was like they were the only ones in the universe. There was nothing going to stop them. They were unbeatable, unstoppable. A force to be reckoned with. No one saw them in their secluded area of the library. No one had to know. They were alone. But they weren't alone, they had each other.

They finally broke apart, gasping for air. Sirius didn't relinquish his hold around her sholders and kept her close to him.

"Don't say anything Hermione. Here's the deal. We can do this whenever we see each to other, no strings attached. And I promise if I do meet this other girl I won't hesitate to make a move. And you, if you meet some guy in the future, as much as I hate to say this, go get him. But when you visit me, you're mine." Sirius whispered into her ear. Hermione was lost for words. It was so wrong but it felt so right. Since she couldn't speak, she simply nodded against his shoulder. He simply grinned with delight and kissed her again.

"I love you" he whispered against her lips.

"I know" she said back.

She would go along with the arrangement, but she refused to fall in love with him. It was too messy. Too unadvised. Too sudden. She knew how his story ended and it wasn't pretty. They could have fun but she could never let it go too far.

They spent the rest of the afternoon making out and talking in the quiet area of the library. And when it was time for Hermione to leave, she left with a smile on her face.

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><p>Sirius was a lot more fun in those last days of the year. James noticed it and everyone else noticed it too. He stopped flirting and breaking girls' hearts and was a lot happier for it. No one had ever seen the young wizard so happy. James was the only one who guessed that a certain bushy haired witch had put in an appearance.<p>

"Sirius"

"Yeah, mate?" Sirius replied to James. It was the last day of the year. Their last day of Hogwarts. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and everyone was smiling. James and Sirius were sat by the lake, enjoying their last day at the prestigious school.

"It's been good hasn't it" James grinned.

"Sure has" Sirius laughed.

"Do you reckon we'll always be mates?" James asked quietly.

"James you haven't been my mate for a long time. You're a brother to me. And I don't think anything could end that." Sirius grinned,

"Aww, don't get all soppy on me" James laughed. "But yeah I think so too."

Sirius grinned at his friend. They were silent for a few minutes

"Er, Sirius?"

"Yeah"

"I asked Lily to marry me, you know after we left school" James told Sirius

"Blimey"

"And she said yes"

"Blimey"

"So will you be my best man?" James asked not meeting his friend's eyes. Sirius's head whipped up to look at his friend.

"James, it would be my honour" Sirius grinned and the young men stood and hugged each other.

"Thanks Sirius" James said.

"James you're my best friend, frankly I would've have been insulted if you'd asked someone else" Sirius laughed and so did James.

"Yeah I guess. Oh and congrats about you and Hermione" James smirked slyly.

"How did you know?" Sirius gaped at him.

"Sirius you're my best friend, frankly I'm insulted you didn't think I would work it out" James chuckled and the boys went to find the rest of their friends and spent their last day together.

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><p>The Golden Trio also spent their last day at Hogwarts by the lake. Although their education should've ended last year, it felt like the past 8 years had passed too quickly. They sat remembering years gone by.<p>

"Do you remember knocking out that troll in our first year?" Ron grinned.

"How could I forget? It nearly killed me!" Hermione laughed.

"And remember when we found Fluffy?" Harry grinned.

"Again, how could I forget, it could've killed us" Hermione laughed.

"And remember following the spiders, Ron?" Harry grinned.

"How could I forget? They tried to kill us. I still wish Hagrid had told us to follow the butterflies!" Ron chuckled

"Do you remember when Lupin turned into a werewolf and Harry defeated all those Dementors?" Hermione said.

"Yet again, we could've been killed and become soulless" Harry grinned.

"Blimey, it's a miracle we survived this long" Ron chuckled. They sat in silence for a long time.

"I don't know what I would've done without you two" Harry said quietly.

"Me too" Ron said solemnly.

"Same" Hermione said, "I love you guys". Harry and Ron nodded in agreement. The threesome hugged each other.

"Do you reckon we'll always be this close?" Hermione wondered.

"When you've gone through all that we have, I think you're stuck being friends forever" Harry smiled.

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><p><strong>Authors note<strong>

**Thanks for all the reviews and if you've followed or favourited (is that a word?) this story, I honestly love you. I have to say, I wasn't going to update today but then I saw **acelili**'s review and I felt guilty that I hadn't updated for a while. Sorry, I've having to choose my optiions for GCSE argghhhh! It's scary. So I havn't had much spare time. Plus I got a part in my play at school! Yay! That's my other excuse :/ Sorry. I will update more often. But see it's proof. Reviews make me update quicker. :)**

**Thanks for reading like always**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

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><p>This was it. The big day. Sirius looked into the full length mirror. He was wearing a muggle tuxedo as Lily had requested. He straightened the tie nervously. It was James's Wedding Day, so why was Sirius nervous? James was also adjusting his tie nervously in front of the mirror.<p>

"Blimey Sirius, I never thought this would really happen" James said to Sirius's reflection in the mirror.

"You never thought a girl would marry you?"

"I never thought Lily Evans would marry me"

"Don't worry none of us did either" Remus, who was sat by a table the other side of the room, laughed.

"Yeah we all thought she would always think you were an annoying, overconfident, cocky, strutting, troublemaking-"

"Yeah I get the picture Wormtail" James glared at their ratty friend. The groom, his best man and the "groom's party" were in one of the side room of a muggle hotel. It had been Lily who had wanted the muggle wedding. She had wanted a muggle one so she could invite her parents without them feeling alienated. James suspected that she also hoped that Petunia would come. But he doubted it. And so the Pear View Hotel was full of witches, wizards and muggles all gathered in the hotel's garden waiting for the bride and groom.

"It's almost time, mate" Sirius said after looking at the watch he had received on his 17th birthday. "We need to go outside". James nodded swiftly and James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew walked into the garden and took their places.

It wasn't long until music started to play and all the guests rose to their feet. Lily Evans, very soon to be Potter, was walking down the aisle. She had three bridesmaids, Alice Longbottom (she had married Frank just a few weeks previously), Mary Macdonald and Emmeline Vance.

Lily was stunning, even Sirius who had never really understood James's fascination with her, took in a gasp. James's eyes were bugging out of his head. She wore a simple white dress, which fell to the floor and hugged her figure. Her red hair was brushed straight and seemed to fall in waves down her back. The veil didn't obscure the delicately applied natural make-up on her face. But the thing that really finished the whole look was the smile of pure unrestrained happiness that seemed to radiate light from the bride.

The formal ceremony was over quickly. Lily knew better than anyone how short James's attention span was. Then the party started. They all moved inside to the Hotel's function hall. There were lights and loud music and dancing. The wizarding organisers had charmed ribbons to dance around the room, in between guests and around furniture, to make different shapes, words, numbers and anything else the wizards could think of. Thousands of candles floated over their head, much like the ones at Hogwarts, except these candles were in every colour imaginable. And every couple of minutes, confetti canons erupted all over the guests, and then they would move and go off again in a different place. The muggle guests had never seen anything like it, but naturally they assumed it was all due to special effects. The dance floor was full of dancers all moving along to the beat and in the centre was the newlyweds dancing like there was no tomorrow. Sirius watched the dancers, while leaning on a column on one side of the huge room. He sipped his fire whisky every couple of minutes perfectly content in watching.

"Would you like to dance?" a voice came from behind him.

"No thank you" Sirius said contently, not even turning around.

"Sirius Black, look at me when I talk to you" the voice said more sternly. Then Sirius realised who it was and his face lit up. He turned his head to see the girl he'd wanted to have had by his side all day.

The woman was his age. For the first time she was his age. She was wearing a light blue dress, not nearly as fancy or formal as most of the females at the reception. But then she wasn't just another female at the reception. Hermione Granger had come to his best friend's wedding. The dress was more the sort of thing you wear causally on a summer day, yet somehow it fitted in with the dresses, dress robes and tuxedos surrounding them. She looked beautiful, like always.

"How did you manage to turn up?" he asked happily. On her last visit she had made it clear she most probably wouldn't be able to come.

"Just got lucky I guess" she grinned and leant up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck and touched her forehead against his.

Hermione's visits to the past had dramatically increased as of late. She was visiting him usually 5 times a week, sometimes more. But they had finally caught up to each other. They were both nearly 20. To anyone watching the pair, they were young and in love. They didn't have a care in the world and their bright futures lay ahead of them. But that was not the case. Sirius told Hermione he loved her each and every time she visited. But she had yet to say it back. Hermione hadn't been able to stop herself getting in over her head. She had promised herself not to let it go too far, but it was past that now. They had seen the line and then ran miles past it. But Hermione couldn't stop. She'd worry about the future when she needed to. It hurt to think about what would happen so very, very soon. She knew Lily would get pregnant next year. And they would go into hiding the year after. And then two of Sirius's closest friends would be gone for good. She did everything she could not to think about it.

Sirius smirked and kissed her on the lips. Gentle at first, then with more earnestness. He had seen her not that long ago, but that hadn't stopped him missing her.

"Come on, we'll go and tell James that you made it" Sirius grinned, grabbing her hand and dragging her through the crowd. Hermione laughed and followed him. She had met James a lot over her visits; it wasn't surprising since Sirius and he were always together. Whenever she did see him though, it always surprised her how much like Harry he was. Not just in looks, everything she loved about Harry was present in James although admittedly James was a bit harsher than Harry. She hadn't officially met Lily however.

"James, James! Look who made it!" Sirius shouted over the noises from the crowd. He pulled Hermione in front of them as if displaying her.

"Hermione" James grinned and hugged her warmly.

"Hey James, sorry I missed the ceremony" Hermione grinned. She started to chuckle a bit as she saw Lily's sour expression.

"Who's this?" Lily said with a look of distain clear on her face.

"This is Hermione, an old friend" James grinned at Lily's reaction. It seemed Lily was the jealous type.

Lily didn't look like she believed him, so James added, "and Sirius's girl". At this Lily smiled warmly at Hermione and enveloped Hermione in a hug. James and Sirius laughed at Hermione's look of surprised panic. Hermione wasn't used to hugging people she'd just met.

"Finally a girl that might get Sirius to settle down" Lily laughed. Sirius blushed at this. Although he hadn't so much as flirted with a girl since he and Hermione formed their agreement, his reputation at Hogwarts had stayed with him.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you. Sometimes it seemed like you're the only thing James can talk about!" Hermione smiled. At this Lily blushed and wrapped her arms around her new husband.

"As it should be" Lily grinned and planted a kiss on James's lips.

"Can I have that dance now, because I really don't want to be present at the make out session I can sense approaching" Sirius grinned and James smirked at him. Hermione nodded and grinned.

A slow song came on and Sirius put his hands on Hermione's waist, and she put her arms around his neck. At first they simply swayed on the spot, neither of them knowing how to dance properly. It was a comfortable silence.

"How have you been?" Hermione asked after a while.

"Good, you?" he asked politely.

"Good... So anyone you got your eye on?" Hermione said and the situation became awkward. She did this every time she visited. She was very worried that her trips to the past messed up the timeline. And it seemed he wasn't making moves on girls as he had promised. He waited for her and she knew it was wrong. Of course she didn't want him to be with anyone else, but she couldn't be selfish, and she couldn't live in the past. It was too messed up, too complicated. Sirius sighed.

"Yes. She's wearing a blue dress and dancing with the best man" Sirius smirked.

"Come on, Sirius. You promised you would try other girls"

"No, I said I would make a move if I met a girl I was attracted to"

"There are plenty of attractive girls here tonight"

"Not to me. Tonight there is only one girl I'm interested in. I can't help it Hermione! I can't help comparing all other choices to you and you always come out on top. I love you" Sirius sighed and rolled his eyes. They had had very similar conversations before and he always had the same argument.

"Have you been dating other guys?" he asked, trying to act like he wasn't bothered by the answer.

"Yes" Hermione lied. Truth was, she was doing the same thing. All guys in her time were made to look shabby, in comparison to Sirius. But Hermione didn't love Sirius. She didn't. She was very attracted to him but she couldn't love him. Hermione's head was filled too high with logic, reasoning and just plain common sense. She couldn't love him, it wasn't right. And Hermione was always right.

Sirius could tell she was lying but he didn't challenge her on it.

They stayed away from the topic for the rest of the evening.

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><p>Hermione appeared in the living room that she recognised as Sirius's flat. It had been a whole year since James and Lily's wedding. On her last visit she had met their newborn son Harry. Hermione was dreading the day everything went wrong because she knew no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't change the past. She couldn't, who knew what else it might change?<p>

Sirius's flat was simple but cosy. He had painted his living room a bright Gryffindor red and he had a light beige carpet. He had a big squashy sofa and a few squashy chairs and a muggle television. The rest of the room was filled with bookcases. Hermione, it seemed, he rubbed off on him in a big way. The remaining wall space was plastered with photographs. Pictures of the marauders, James and Lily, Sirius and Lily, Hermione, Sirius and Hermione, so many more. She couldn't actually remember many of them being taken.

But for once, the air of the room didn't give of the usual feeling of laughter and safety. The room felt cold and distant. Sirius was sat on the sofa his head in his hands, a letter on his knee.

"Sirius?" Hermione whispered, a little scared. She heard the man gulp.

"Hermione"

"What's happened?"

"It's- It's Lily and- and James. He's hunting them down" he swallowed again. "You-Know-Who wants their son, Harry and he's gonna kill them if he finds them". Hermione wrapped her arms around Sirius comfortingly. He was shaking. Hermione tried to calm him down, but it was clear Sirius was terrified for his friend. Hermione didn't know what to say.

"But then I guess you'd know that. Since you're from the future. Are they ok?" Sirius asked. But Hermione couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

"Hermione? They are going to be ok? Aren't they?" Sirius stared at her wide eyed. Then Hermione faded away. It had been her shortest trip ever, but she was glad she hadn't had to lie to him. As soon as she was home, she buried her face in a pillow. Because she had gotten to know James and Lily, she had loved their friendship and it hurt terribly to know she may never see them again. It seemed the future she hadn't wanted to think about was finally catching up to her.

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><p><strong>Authors note<strong>

**Thanks for all the reviews and all those who are following/ favourited this story :) **

**It honestly broke my heart to even write this chapter, I'm not sure how I'm going to cope with the next one, and later ones... (there that's as much of a hint as I'm going to give you, I think it has a happy ending though :) )**

**Please review, I love hearing what you guys think and any tips or ways I can improve are very happily recieved. It only takes a few seconds and it cheers me up for the WHOLE day :)**

**I know I found out Fred died years ago, but I recently found some really great fics starring him and it's got me all sad all over again! So you see I really do need cheering up (hint hint).**

**Thanks for reading once more :) **


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

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><p><strong>This is a shorter chapter and could be seen as a bit darker than the previous chapters. This story was never meant to be just a love story. This is a story about Sirius's life and how Hermione fitted into it. It was always going to happen and it was unpreventable. They both will loose so much but will be together in the end. <strong>

**Of course it will be kinda serious in the next few chapters but it will be nice and airy again before too long. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own the characters or places mentioned and starring in this fanfic and am making no profits from it. **

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><p>Sirius never mentioned their meeting on the night, James and Lily went into hiding, again. He never asked Hermione to tell him if they were going to be all right. He never spoke about how terrified he still was and how enraged he was that Hermione wouldn't tell him if his best friend would be ok. But he loved her. And he had seen the terrified look in those eyes, when she had realised what had happened. She had known. She knew it had been coming. What else did she know? What else was she keeping a secret? But he had to trust her. She had been the first thing he had ever truly cared about. She had been the light in that terrible house that he had once had to call home. She had been like a guardian angel and he knew he loved her more than she did him, but he didn't care. She was the thing that helped him stay sane as James feared for his life. Sirius had never thought he would care so much and depend on a girl like this. He had also thought he would be the overprotective type, the guy who protected his woman from harm, not the guy who needed her like fuel. He knew he would never love anybody like he loved Hermione Granger, but she was still so reluctant. He knew it must be strange for her, she knows him when he was both a young boy and in her own time. He knew it was hard for her, but he wasn't going to give up on her.<p>

Sirius was putting on a brave face and Hermione knew it. She could see how much pain the young man was harbouring and it killed her that she couldn't stop it. Everything had to happen like it happened. It had to happen, for the greater good, Hermione felt a horrible twist in her stomach when she thought of those horribly familiar words and the context in which they had been used before. It had to happen like it had, because otherwise, Lord Voldemort wouldn't have marked Harry as his equal, and Harry wouldn't have been the boy who lived. And Harry wouldn't have defeated him once and for all. It was for the greater good.

She had visited Sirius a couple of times and he had told her that Lily and James were doing fine and that they had chosen Peter to be the secret keeper, instead of Sirius, to create a red herring. This had nearly caused Hermione to cry out with anguish, but she stopped herself. She couldn't stop the murderous act. It had to happen. When back in her own time, Hermione did her best not to think about the impending pain, awaiting Sirius Black. But it was hard. Hermione knew Sirius would be incredibly angry and betrayed when the deed was done, but despite this, Hermione was working on a plan for when Sirius did indeed go to Azkaban. She was working on becoming an animagus. Sirius had told her in detail, how to do it and he had also told her that the Dementors didn't fully register animals. Hermione was determined to keep seeing him, even if he didn't want to see her. She was making incredible progress and she would be a registered animagus by the end of the month.

Hermione had started working in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, working to improve the lives of house elves. It seemed they did want some help after all. They may not want to be free, but they do want better living conditions. She threw herself into her work and her personal and social life took a backseat. She didn't have a boyfriend, her excuse always being, "I don't need a man to define me" when really she just wasn't interested. She met with Harry and Ron and Ginny regularly but they all noticed something seemed... off. She was always distracted and nearly but not quite the focused, determined young woman they knew and loved. Hermione responded to their concerns with an airy, "I'm fine, really. I have no idea what you mean".

Hermione was working late one evening when she felt herself fading into the past. She was back in Sirius's flat. Sirius wasn't home so Hermione sat on his sofa and awaited his arrival. The front door slowly creaked open.

The man in the door way was tall, broad shouldered and muscular. He had a look about him that said he used to be devilishly handsome. Used to be, being the key words. He was still good looking but it seemed like all the sincerity and warmth had left his face. He must have only been in his early 20s but he looked much older. He seemed to take up the whole door frame, but still seemed to be hunched in on himself, like he was clinging to himself for comfort, like he had no one left. His eyes were dark and filled with angry, miserable tears that were also running down his face like rivers. His shoulders were shaking with both silent and booming sobs. Sobs of pain and despair and hopelessness. When Sirius Black saw the witch sat on his sofa, he seemed to let out an almighty roar of rage.

"You!" he shouted at Hermione. "I trusted you! I love you! And you as good as killed them". Sirius stomped too close to her, leaving the door open.

"You could have saved them and now they're dead! You knew Peter would betray us! You knew and you didn't say anything! I thought they were your friends too! How could you do this to them, to Harry... to me?" Sirius started off screaming at her so violently flecks of spit flew into her face but by the end his was barely whispering, his shoulder shaking with uncontrollable sobs. Hermione's eyes filled with tears.

"I couldn't do anything Sirius! You know I couldn't. I'm sorry, I wish I could've changed it but no one can change time. No one , not even if they really, really want to." Hermione sobbed quietly and Sirius, without thinking, hit her sharply.

"Did you think about their son? Harry is an orphan! They're sending him to the same muggles that hate wizards so much, they didn't even come to Lily and James's wedding? What sort of live is that going to be? Do you even year about their one year old son?" Sirius bellowed. He wasn't in control of his actions anymore. But he didn't hit her again. He glared down at the witch; he loved her so much it hurt but right now he could only feel hate.

"Of course I care. Harry Potter is one of my best friends. He turns out ok Sirius, trust me" Hermione said, a hand held up to her stuck cheek.

"Well, what about me? Do I turn out ok? No wait, I remember you can't tell me!" Sirius shouted at her.

"You know I can't, I'm sorry Sirius"

"I love you Hermione. But that means nothing to you; you can't even say it back" Sirius shouted.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Hermione repeated over and over. She couldn't defend herself; she would be doing the exact same as Sirius if their roles were reversed. She hated herself for what she was doing to him.

Sirius simply glared at her and turned on his heel.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked timidly.

"You aren't the only person at fault, and the other was the one that actually handed them over. I love you too much, but Peter. Peter's gonna pay for what he did to them" Sirius said and left without a backwards glance. It was barely a minute until Hermione was also gone.

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><p><strong>Authors note<strong>

**I feel so sad now! I will miss James so much! I loved writing the bits with him and Sirius, (good thing he makes an appearence later on ;) there you go, a small spoiler to enjoy) **

**Thanks for reading as always. The amount of people who have followed and favourited this story is incredable and it means so much to me. Plus I want to say a huge thank you to those who have added me to their favourite authors and followed authors list, that's amazing. Crikey, imagine if all of you reviewed? I would be so happy, which brings me to those who have reviewed and how much I want to thank them. They give me a buzz that lasts all day, thank you!**

**Until next time :)**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters or places mentioned in this fanfiction. Except Adela Kirsopp, I did make her up. <strong>

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><p>The witch sitting across from Hermione was a short, elderly woman. She was from the Improper Use of Magic office. She wore purple robes that were so bright, it hurt your eyes. The witch's skin seemed to have the consistency of tissue paper and she wore her hair in huge snow white curls. Adela Kirsopp; she had introduced herself when she had shook hands with Hermione in greeting. She spoke with a high almost squeaky voice that could've just as easily belonged to a house elf.<p>

It was her final meeting today. After her session with Adela, Hermione would be a registered animagus. She hadn't visited Sirius since the visit before he challenged Peter. She missed him dreadfully.

Her animagus animal was a dog very similar to Sirius's except she was slightly smaller and her fur was chocolate brown instead of black. That had been the form she had been hoping for. She hoped all her efforts wouldn't be for nothing.

"Can you perform the patronus charm, my dear?" Adela had a clipboard in her hand and Hermione had been answering the final questions so the paperwork would be complete and ready. Hermione nodded.

"Can I see?" Adela squeaked. Hermione nodded again. It had always been the one spell that she had struggled with. The memory she thought of was just one Christmas spent with the Weasleys. She had felt loved and happy and like she belonged. But the spell wasn't working. She tried again and again.

"Are you sure you can perform this spell, dear?" Adela squeaked doubtfully.

"I can! Or at least I could" Hermione replied in anguish. Why wasn't it working?

"Maybe you should think of another memory?" Adela suggested. Hermione nodded and tried several more times. She used her favourite DA meetings and her favourite holiday memories. She tried countless memories of her, Harry and Ron. A couple of times she got wispy smoke but Hermione knew Adela wanted to see the animal part.

"It is a very complex spell my dear. It won't make me think less of you if you cannot perform it" Adela patted her gently on the shoulder. This made Hermione even more annoyed.

These memories had worked before. Why was now different? What had changed? Well what hadn't changed? In her head she made a list. She was no longer at Hogwarts. She had a job. She... she visited the younger Sirius Black!

"No let me try one more time" Hermione said determinedly. Hermione let the memory consume her.

It had been summertime. The summer Hermione and Sirius had been the same age finally. They had spent the day lying in a field full of daisies. They had kissed, talked, laughed and so much more. She could still hear his laughter ringing through the summer breeze, causing a smile to bloom onto her own face. She could see in her mind's eye, Sirius's muscular form laid stretched out on the grass. One arm behind his head and the other around her shoulders.

"Well done, Miss Granger!" Adela squeaked bringing Hermione back to the real world. She must have cast the spell without realising. Hermione looked around the room searching for her familiar otter. But it wasn't there. Where her usual patronus should have been, stood a shaggy, glowing dog looking up at her with big eyes. Hermione froze.

"B-b-but that's not my patronus!" Hermione protested and the dog disappeared back into her wand, back to where it came. Her patronus is an otter!

"Your patronus is the same as your animagus form. Remember my dear, they can change sometimes" Adela tried to reassure Hermione. But Hermione was already panicking. She had only ever heard of one other person's animagus changing. And that had been Tonks's, when she had fallen in love with Remus Lupin. But she wasn't in love with Sirius. She fancied and was attracted to him, (she had stopped bothering to deny it), but she knew she didn't love him! That's why she had never said I love you to him. He had said it too many times but she never once said it back. She couldn't love him; their relationship was too chaotic and strange already. And anyway, he was never going to forgive her.

Finally, Hermione managed to calm herself down. Maybe it was a good thing. She had never really felt connected to her otter patronus anyway. It had never really seemed to fit her. Not the way everyone else's did. When she had calmed herself down, she answered the rest of Adela questions and finished the meeting.

"Congratulations Miss Granger, you are now a registered animagus" Adela smiled and handed Hermione her certificate to prove she was registered. Kind of like a driving licence. Hermione smiled too and flooed back to her flat.

Once back in her little piece of home, Hermione took a step towards her desk to write letters to her friends about her news. But she stopped. She could feel herself disappearing.

Where ever Hermione was, was dark. It was scary. It was like sadness and madness radiated from the walls. There were moans and screams coming from all around her. Everything seemed dark and dingy. So this, Hermione thought, was Azkaban. She turned slowly on the spot to get her bearings. There was just a single cell in front of her. Through the bars she could see the skeleton of a man she had once known. Sirius was hunched into a small ball in the corner of his cell. He didn't even look up when she whispered his name.

He had lost a lot of weight, his hair was still dark but it was matted and ragged rather than his usual shaggy. His chin had sprouted a beard that he hadn't had the last time she had seen him. In some ways he looked so much older. But in others he looked like a child. Even from outside his cell, he reeked of despair and sadness. He had dirt on his face and on all visible skin. There were also bruises and cuts among the dirt.

Hermione touched the rusty bars softly and it swung open. They were so sure the prisoners wouldn't be able to get past the Dementors to escape that they didn't even lock the cells. Slowly and cautiously, Hermione walked towards Sirius. It was like he couldn't even see her. She laid a hand on his arm and he flinched.

"Great, I'm hallucinating now too" Sirius whimpered. His voice was hoarse and broken.

"You're not" Hermione whispered.

"That's just what a hallucination would say" Sirius looked up her. "But even if you are real, I don't want to see or talk to you".

"I'm sorry Sirius"

"Yeah, I know. But my best friend is still... dead and no amount of I'm sorrys are going to change that" Sirius sighed. He had chocked over the word dead. He looked like he would cry if he could, but Hermione suspected he had no more tears left.

Hermione didn't know what to say, so she sat down next to him and put her arms around him. For a long time Sirius was stiff in her arms and tried to pull himself out of her grasp. But finally he gave in and snuggled into her, laying his head on her chest. And when he gave in he pulled her closer. He had been on his own for so long, Hermione knew he just needed someone to hold him, like when he was a child.

"You know I can't forgive you Hermione" he whimpered. "But I haven't stopped loving you". Hermione stroked his head comfortingly.

"I know, Sirius" she whispered. "I can't change the past but I can make your time in her a little more bearable". Sirius sat up to look at her with confusion in his eyes. Hermione smiled and showed him what she had learnt for him. One moment she was there as a young woman the next, she was a dog with dark brown, glossy fur. She licked his face playfully and he laughed. You could tell it was his first laugh of happiness in a long, long time. Then he too changed.

Hermione couldn't feel all the despair she had felt before. She knew it was still there but as a dog, she herself couldn't feel it. She could see in Sirius's dark eyes he couldn't either. It was just like the older Sirius had told her. It was easier to deal with as a dog; the Dementors don't affect them in the same way. The two canines snuggled together, simply happy with each other's company. He hadn't completely forgiven her and Hermione knew he never would but maybe their relationship wasn't over yet.

They lay together for a long time. Then like always, Hermione disappeared and Padfoot was alone once more.

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><p><strong>Author's note<strong>

**Sorry this chapter's a bit short, I'm not very happy with it but I have to include it somehow and this is the best I can do. Just a head's up, the next chapter will take place in Hermione's time, Harry and Ginny's wedding to be specific. Hermione will have to make choice! And it's an important one! Stay tuned :)**

**So Pottermore is finally open! I'm MirrorMist29713, so add me if you wish. I got sorted into Hufflepuff! Which I FIND to be TOTALLY AWESOME! (PS the next chapter will be dedicated to everyone who got the reference in my previous sentence). And I totally love my wand, it's the same as Draco Malfoy's! Except mine's slightly longer :D Also spoiler alert, Draco will star in this fanfiction, just wait and see :)**

**So thanks for reading all the reviews and story alerts. **

**:-) **


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer - I do not own the characters or places mentitioned in this fic. Except Dr Mistletone.<strong>

**This chapter is dedicated to dulciwik and FantasyFreak101 and everyone else who knew it's from the AMAZING A Very Potter Musical. I love that musical so much!**

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><p>"I do" Ginny said, tears filling her eyes.<p>

"And do you, Harry James Potter, take Ginevra Molly Weasley to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the short wizard said proudly.

"I do" Harry Potter said, smiling at his bride.

"Then I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride" The wizard didn't have to tell them twice. As the newly married couple kissed, their closest friends and family cheered and wolf whistled. Hermione clapped along with everyone else but the scene was hauntingly familiar. In his wedding tux, Harry looked more like James than ever before. And Ginny, in her long white dress and beautiful red hair, reminded Hermione for the first time, of Lily Evans. But James and Lily were gone. It had been several years since she had last seen Harry's parents but only days since she had last visited Sirius.

Azkaban was horrible and every time she visited, Hermione could see the life drifting out of him. But, like when he was little, she told him stories. She told him all about Harry and about him growing up with the muggles. In a few years they would meet in the shrieking shack and Sirius must be prepared. She also filled Sirius in on the details she knew he would need to know. Like where Peter was hiding, that the Weasleys knew nothing about the man Scabbers really was, that Lupin would be teaching that year... stuff like that. But she made Sirius promise he wouldn't try to break out until he found the article about the Weasley's trip to Egypt. She also warned him, he would meet a younger version of herself and he couldn't give anything away to her.

She missed the old Sirius. The carefree prankster. But this new version was so much closer to the one she had written letters to. He seemed older and more vulnerable and... and just... just tired. She knew if he didn't transform into a dog regularly to escape the Dementors icy grip, he would be even worse.

"Hermione?" he had asked on her last visit.

"Yes?" she had replied.

"I want you to find out why you keep coming to the past" he had said solemnly. She hadn't told him at the time but she had been thinking the same thing too. It was time she finally knew what was happening. She had promised the convict, she would and the next day, she went to St Mungos. A hospital that specialises in unusual cases would be the ideal place to start.

She gave in her details and her cause for concern and was passed around several so called specialists. Then finally she ended up in a Dr Rowan Mistletone's office.

Hermione surveyed Dr Mistletone warily from across the doctor's desk. Was she going to get passed onto another associate again?

"I'm sorry no one has been able to help you so far Ms Granger. They should have brought you directly to me" Dr Mistletone said. The doctor was a very, very thin woman. It seemed like every joint could snap. Her hair was in a severely tight bun and there was not a single hair out of place. She had a long nose and had small spectacles perched on the end of it. She looked more like a witch from a fairy tale. But at least she was efficient.

"I suspect you are currently suffering from Cadens per tempus Syndrome. Don't worry it is fairly common among high achieving wizards and witches. Cadens per tempus is Latin, it translates roughly into Falling through time syndrome. Before this entire situation started, have you ever used time travel before?" Dr Mistletone said quickly. Her voice was deep for a woman and very calm.

Hermione was going to say no in reply to the question, but then she remembered. She had nearly forgotten!

"I used Time Travel in my 3rd year at Hogwarts, so I could do extra classes. I used a Time Turner"

"As I suspected. This is why it is common among high achieving wizards and witches. Travelling through time by use of a time turner or by any other means always leaves a mark. Not one you can see of course. Regular use of time travel or effecting events thoroughly makes this mark more prominent. Usually it will remain dormant and will not affect the wizard or witch for the rest of their lives. But it never goes away on its own. If the mark is particularly strong or prominent, if the witch or wizard suffers from conflicting emotions, such as love and hate, hope and despair or victory and regret, at the same time, it has been known to throw the witch or wizard into the past. This first visit triggers the mark and the witch or wizard will visit the past regularly."

It was hard for Hermione to take it all in. So it was a recognised syndrome. Wow. She could see what she meant about conflicting emotions. She had first visited Sirius after Harry had defeated Voldemort on Sirius's death's anniversary. That reminded her. What about Sirius? The doctor hadn't mentioned anything about latching onto another person's timeline.

"But every time I travel to the past it's always in sync with the same person's timeline" Hermione said. Dr Mistletone was quiet and stayed quiet for a moment, frowning slightly.

"That's... odd" the Doctor said simply. She was quiet a moment more. "You said you travelled through time before to do extra classes. Can you remember anything you did, that would affect the others around you at all?" This time Hermione quiet for a moment.

"I saved his soul" she said quietly, remembering. At this the doctor nodded.

"That would be why. You saved his soul, that alone means you have a connection to him for the rest of both your lives. It is similar to the power of love, sacrificing yourself for someone else. That would explain how when you got thrown back in time, that connection kicked in and draw you to him. Plus by carrying out this act, you may have unknowingly made your mark even stronger" The doctor nodded to herself as she spoke and jotted something on the clipboard Hermione hadn't noticed she had been holding.

"But I didn't do it alone. His godson and I saved him. His godson had never travelled in time before then but if this act makes the mark so strong surely he would have this condition as well? Trust me, he's the person who invented conflicting emotions" Hermione protested.

"Ms Granger, you used time travel regularly for a whole school year. Your mark was already strong enough to put you at risk of developing the syndrome later on in life. This other person? He may be at risk but not as much as you were." The doctor explained.

Hermione nodded. It was a lot to take in.

"Treatment is very simple and-"

"T-t-treatment?" Hermione gaped at the doctor.

"Why yes? Isn't that why you came to see me?"

"I just wanted to know what was happening. I didn't even know treatment existed" Hermione said.

"The treatment consists of series of spells. You would keep you here in the hospital overnight to check everything went smoothly and then you would be free to go. The spells deactivates the mark and sends it back into its dormant state. Of course it can be triggered again, but then you may simply have treatment a second time." Dr Mistletone explained.

"And what if I don't want the treatment?" Hermione asked shakily. The doctor stared at her like she was mad.

"Well, I understand you may have gotten used to this state and it may be hard to leave that life behind but I assure you that treatment is the best-"

"I said what if I don't want the treatment?" Hermione interrupted harsher than needed to be.

"What you must understand is that time travel isn't natural. It's not something that should happen. And time usually finds a way of righting anything that is wrong. Sometimes it will change it for good and sometimes, well dreadful things have been known to happen. It's whether you want to live with the risk for the rest of your days." Dr Mistletone said softly. "I recommend the treatment personally.".

Hermione was quiet for a long time.

"Can I think about this?" she said finally. Dr Mistletone smiled and nodded.

"How about we make an appointment with me for next week. That will be long enough to think about it?"

Hermione agreed.

And Hermione had spent the next week tossing and turning, thinking and wondering all day and all night. Could she live with such a risk? Should she give up Sirius?

Harry and Ginny's wedding was the day before her appointment. Hermione had hoped it would be a nice distraction and it was.

She hadn't seen her friends for a while. Work and Sirius had gotten in the way. After the ceremony she congratulated Harry and Ginny and they both pulled her in for a hug.

"We've missed you Mione, you barely come to visit us anymore" Ginny said sadly.

"I know I'm so sorry. Work gets in the way" Hermione tried to laugh it off.

"They work you too hard" Ginny said as Harry raised a disbelieving eyebrow at Hermione.

Ginny had disappeared into the crowd when Harry caught up with Hermione a few minutes later.

"Where have you been Hermione?" Harry said.

"I was just going to the buffet table" Hermione said uncomfortably.

"You know that's not what I mean. You're one of my best friends. I miss you. We used to be so close but now we never see you. You keep cancelling on us. On me" Harry said looking down at her with those green eyes. Lily's eyes.

"I'm sorry"

"Yeah I know"

"I'll try to see you more often" Harry laughed when she said that.

"Do you remember what you said to me on our last day of Hogwarts? You said "Do you reckon we'll always be this close?" And I said "When you've gone through all that we have, I think you're stuck being friends forever". I guess I was wrong" Harry said, hurt in his eyes. Hermione pulled him into a tight hug. Harry hugged her tightly back.

"I promise you Harry James Potter, I will make more of an effort. In fact, I have an appointment tomorrow morning, would you and Ron like to meet me in the Leaky Cauldron afterwards? You know... to catch up. I have missed you too, you know" Hermione looked up at him. Harry nodded gratefully. She hated upsetting Harry. They had been through so much together. She really needed to focus on now and not living in the past. Maybe she should have the treatment. Maybe it was for the best.

Hagrid was stood on his own near the back to the hall; the reception was being held in. He was swaying in time to the music. He wasn't drunk yet. He was all dressed up in his very horrible suit and his hair was all greased up.

"Hey Hagrid" Hermione smiled at him. Hagrid grinned.

"Hey there, 'mione. How ya been?" Hagrid patted her shoulder.

"I've been good thanks" Hermione smiled.

"Listen, ya must be old enough by now. I know ye visited Sirius Black when 'e was at Hogwarts. I remembered ya, see? You were one of the first students to ever be nice ta me" Hagrid grinned. Hermione gaped at him. She remembered briefly bumping into him but she hadn't thought he would remember.

"Hagrid you can't tell anyone I was there!" Hermione squeaked.

"Nah, I won't. I just wanted ta thank you is all. After ya visit, Sirius Black and his friends stopped carrying out their pranks on me. I guessed it must ha been your fault. I wanted to thank ya. Ya meant a lot to him I think." Hagrid beamed and enveloped Hermione in a bone crushing hug. Hermione let herself smile. She sighed. She knew she did mean a lot to Sirius. Could she really leave him?

The next day seemed to come too quickly. But Hermione had made her decision. It had been dreadfully hard to make but it was final. She still wasn't sure but she would have to live with it.

"Well have you made up your mind?" Dr Mistletone said.

"Yes, I have decided to...

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><p><strong>Duh duh duh!<strong>

**I wanted to say thank you so much for the reviews and followings and favourites! You have no idea how much it means! There were so many, I love you guys so much. It took ages to write this chapter, because I wanted to get it right. :) Hope I did ok :) Thanks again!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer- I do not own the characters (except Dr Mistletone because I invented her) or places mentioned in this fanfic. Anything you recognise is from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by the wonderful and talented JK Rowling, e.g the news paper articles and the decription of the photograph. <strong>

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><p>The next day seemed to come too quickly. But Hermione had made her decision. It had been dreadfully hard to make but it was final. She still wasn't sure but she would have to live with it.<p>

"Well have you made up your mind?" Dr Mistletone said.

"Yes, I have decided to not have the treatment" Hermione said calmly. Dr Mistletone stared at her like Hermione had transformed into a blibbering humdinger.

"Are you sure? I mean, I thought I made it quite clear that the risks are huge, that time always makes up for its mistakes. If it were me-"

"But it isn't you. It's my choice and mine alone. I can't leave him. He went through so much alone. He needs someone. I've faced greater risks and returned absolutely fine. I'm not saying I will this time but it's my choice to make and my risks to take." And with that Hermione turned and walked briskly out of the doctor's office, leaving Dr Mistletone staring at her.

"She's mad. No one's come out of something like this unscathed." The doctor muttered to herself, then shook her head and called for reception to send her next patient in.

Years passed. For Hermione they flew by but for Sirius every day was a mountain. The only light was Hermione's visits. She reminded him that it be over soon, that he would escape soon. That as long as she was visiting everything would work itself out. He had never loved her more. But she still hadn't vocally returned the sentiment.

Hermione was finally taking control. Ever since Harry and Ginny's wedding, everything seemed to be easier. She made time to see her friends, she still worked hard but she relaxed a little and she got a promotion. She even tried dating but it never lasted long. The guys she went out with could never compare to Sirius. Oh, Sirius. He was the only dark patch in the sunshine in which she now lived. Every time she visited he seemed thinner, emptier, lonelier. And she knew she couldn't stop it. He was always so happy to see her. It was every one of those bright beams that convinced Hermione she had made the right choice about not having the treatment. But it would be over soon.

Before Hermione knew it, 12 years had passed. She and Sirius had aged at the same time and that had been comforting. She loved Sirius. She loved it when he held her; she loved it when he kissed her, she loved it when he said I love you. The attraction between them was too strong to deny anymore, but she wasn't in love with him. She couldn't let herself be. Their relationship was twisted enough as it was already. When he was out of Azkaban, she refused to make him feel like he belonged to her.

Sirius was staring at a newspaper when Hermione appeared in his cell. He looked up with a look of pure delight, which she hadn't seen in years. Silently, he handed the newspaper to her.

"I got it off Fudge this morning" Sirius grinned excitedly. Hermione looked down at the article, already knowing what she would find. She wore a smile as bright as Sirius's.

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><p><strong>MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE<strong>

**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a Curse Breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank." The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.**

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><p>There was a photograph along with the article. Hermione scanned the moving photograph, and an even brighter grin spread across her face as she saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at her, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny. Hermione felt a pang of grief in her chest as her eyes locked with the photo's Fred Weasley. In this time he was still alive. Fred and George. George and Fred. They were still up to their usual mischief together.<p>

"They all look so young" Hermione whispered despite herself and although the grin never left her face, a tear slid down her cheek.

"You know what this means though, don't you?" Sirius said had he comfortingly wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. Hermione wiped away the tear and kissed Sirius full on the mouth.

"It means... it's time for you to break out." Hermione broke the kissed to say and then kissed him again.

Sirius pulled her closer. He was suddenly filled with energy. Strange how the prospect of breaking out of the un-break-out-able Azkaban can lift your spirits. He immediately felt younger and fitter. He was ready for anything and could take whatever they threw at him. Padfoot was back.

Hermione could feel Sirius's emotional transformation. His confidence was coming back to him. After 12 years of suffering and pain, he was becoming himself again. If you've never been to Azkaban, you can't understand the psychological damage it causes the inmates. Words cannot describe it and the prospect of breaking out? You could feel excitement radiating from Sirius's person.

Hermione could feel herself fading.

"Good luck!" she cheered before she was gone completely.

"He's at Hogwarts" Sirius shouted at the top of his lungs, "And I'm coming to get you!"

From then on, the front pages of the Daily Prophet read something along the lines of;

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><p><strong><span>BLACK STILL AT LARGE <span>**

**Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Confederation of Wizards for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. "Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it - who'd believe him if he did?" While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.**

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><p>The hunt for the Prisoner of Azkaban, has begun.<p>

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><p><strong>Author's note- Hey! It's a bit shorter than the others but it has everything I needed to include in the chapter and if I try to pad it out, it will just make the chapter suckish. I hoped you liked it. I'm not going to have much fluff in this story, mostly because I'm really bad at it and it just gets very repetative. <strong>

**This morning I hit 50 reviews for this story! That's soo amazing and to think I almost didn't continue this story! You have no idea how much it means. And to all the readers who have followed and favourited this story, thank you. 100 points to all your houses! And butterbeer for all! **


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer - I do not own any of the places or character's mentioned in this fanfic. <strong>

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><p>It felt so good to be free.<p>

He never thought he'd be so happy to be outside.

Sun shining on his face, a breeze blowing against his unshaven cheek, the sound of grass under his feet. The grass! Oh how much had he missed grass? It was just the perfect shade of green. A bright, happy colour, the colour of freedom.

Mind you, most of the colours he was now looking at were colours of freedom. He'd been stuck in that bleak, grey cell for 12 years. It was always dark in there, always cold. He just wanted to lie on the grass forever, soaking up the rays of the early autumn sun. Red, blues, browns, greens surrounded him.

But he couldn't admire the scenery for long. He couldn't stay as a human for long. He may be out of Azkaban but Sirius Black was still far off being a free man. He may have escaped and was free from that cell, but if he was caught? A fate worse than death surely awaited him. But he wouldn't be caught he would be sure of that.

And then the big, black dog was running once more. Trees shot past him, his steady paws never tripping, not one false move. The soft rhythm coming from his feet reminded him of his mission. Over and over again they encouraged him, spurred him forwards.

He's at Hogwarts.

He's at Hogwarts.

Peter Pettigrew is at Hogwarts.

Hermione visited more often than usual that year. Each time she brought with her more information. She told him what Harry was up to. How Remus was settling in as a teacher. What was happening at the school in general. It was lucky Hermione remembered her school days so clearly. It was Hermione, not Crookshanks who enabled Sirius to buy Harry the Firebolt. She took the order form with the instructions to take the money out of Sirius's account. She was also the one who managed to get the cat to bring Sirius Neville's list of passwords. Crookshanks always was a clever cat, and recognised Hermione despite her being the future version. That was why Crookshanks warmed to Sirius. If his Hermione trusted this stranger, then Crookshanks would too.

Sirius knew the time was coming when he would eventually meet Hermione for the first time. She would be just 14 years old. It was strange but he supposed Hermione must've thought the same about himself.

It was almost the end of the year when that fateful night arrived. The night Buckbeak was due to be executed. The night Harry would meet his god father. The night the servant broke free to return to his master.

Hermione had told Sirius what to do. She had told him, to meet the three third years, which would be carrying Peter. She told him to drag Ron to the Shrieking Shack and Harry and younger Hermione would follow. Then she didn't tell him what happened next. That, she knew, had to be his own actions. She couldn't interfere. What happened needed to happen. Otherwise who knows what might go wrong?

Blimey, he really did look like James. He had never imagined any two people could look so similar. Apart from the eyes. From behind Harry's glasses, Lily's eyes shone even in the dank and dark shack. It seemed like the ghosts of Lily and James were with them tonight.

Remus looked old. It had been so long since he had seen his friend. Even as a young man. Remus looked older than his years and that it seemed had stayed the same. He looked tired. He looked lost. Sirius had missed Moony dreadfully. The mistrust that had been clear on his face in the beginning soon disappeared to Sirius's delight. It had killed him, all those nights in Azkaban, thinking that Remus honestly thought he had betrayed them. But no, Remus believed him. There was one traitor in the room and it wasn't the one who had spent 12 years in Azkaban.

Ron Weasley lay on the bed with a broken leg. Sirius could've been a little gentler with the boy but Sirius's jealous side had kicked in. Hermione had talked about Ron. They had dated before the younger Sirius had met Hermione. But Ron, she had told him, didn't want a commitment. Plus two days later he broke it off so he could date this other girl, Daisy? Rosemary? Lavender? Something like that, one of those flowery sort of names. He was the other part of the trio Hermione had told him. They were still best friends, even in Hermione's time. She had put her dating history with the ginger haired boy behind her and their friendship hadn't suffered. He was a tall boy with a long nose and was covered in freckles. Sirius knew he was too old to feel threatened, especially by a 14 year old boy. It was in Hermione's, his Hermione's past. Despite this however, he couldn't shake off the knowledge that it was in this Hermione's future.

Peter was even more rat-like now than he remembered. He really did look vile. This was the man who had betrayed them. Peter had as well as killed Lily and James and he was there, begging their son to spare him? It made his blood boil and he wanted to spit in Peter's face. It took all of his self control not the kick the man, where he begged. He wanted to make Peter shut up. He wanted to wipe that piece of scum off the face of the earth. How could he have betrayed James? How could he have done that to his friends? Peter had been their friend! And he betrayed them!

But Harry was his father's son through and through. Sirius couldn't pretend that he wanted to let Peter escape with his life, but he knew it had been Harry who had suffered more than he had. And if he saw it fit to spare the traitor, it was his call. At least Peter would be sent to Azkaban and hopefully it would be like a fate worse than death. It was what he deserved.

He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up too high, but Sirius couldn't resist talking to Harry. About what they could do now. He could become a proper god-father to the boy. He could come and live with him and Sirius could tell him all about the marauder's adventures and all about his dad. He could feel himself being filled with schoolboy, jumping up and down excitement. Sirius was going to be free. He wouldn't have to live on the run anymore. He could buy a house, get a job, go shopping, ahh all the mundane things he hasn't done in so long.

As they left the cramped tunnel, Sirius's eyes fell on the girl he had been trying not to look at. She looked like Hermione. But also so different. The way she had spoken to him in the Shack had been a strange experience. She had called him Mr Black. No one had ever called him that before, except his teachers. The 14 year old was short. Hermione would obviously hit a growth spurt in the coming years but she was taller than Harry. He found himself looking at her mouth. He had never noticed her front teeth being so large. In fact he was certain her front teeth were a lot smaller than that. He wondered over it but soon told himself to ask her about it when his Hermione next visited him. She had been ever so polite in the shack; she hadn't used any of her remarkable quick wit or sarcasm which he had always loved. Maybe she was a bit shy. He kept forgetting this was the first time she had met him and she had been convinced he was a heartless murderer. Her hair was a lot bushier than in her older years. It seemed his Hermione had somehow managed to tame it. But he liked Hermione's hair. It suited her younger self immensely. It was the same familiar brown that seemed to reflect the light coming from the full moon in the sk-

The full moon.

Tonight was a full moon.

Tonight.

Now.

"Remus!"

He knew he shouldn't have got his hopes up. He had let himself hope and now he was going to receive the Dementor's kiss. A fate worse than death. Sirius Black would be forever remembered as a traitor, a murderer. He wouldn't even be able to clear his name. He wouldn't be able to say goodbye to Harry. He would never be able to see Hermione again. He would become a shell. Just the body but not the man. She would see his face, his appearance but it wouldn't be him.

It was dark, the only light coming from a large window. He wasn't sure where exactly in the castle he was. He knew he was high up, so in one of the towers maybe? Hogwarts had always been his sanctuary, his haven. Now it was his prison. It would be the last place the soul of Sirius Black would ever see. How ironic.

"Sirius?" a soft, familiar voice whispered from within the darkness.

"Oh Hermione" Sirius called pleadingly to her, tears filling his eyes. Again he was broken. His walls had collapsed. But he has a right to cry! In a few hours he wouldn't be Sirius Black anymore.

"Oh Sirius" and then he could feel her arms cradling him against her chest and gently rocking him back and forth. He leaned up and brought their lips together.

"Sirius trust me, you're going to be fine. I'm not going to let them kiss you; the only person you'll be kissing tonight is me"

"Hermione I'm tired of you lying to me. If these are my last moments with you, I want to enjoy them" Sirius smiled warmly at her. "I don't care that you didn't warn me this would happen. I guess I'm just going to have to accept that that's what you do. But what I really want to know right how, is how your teeth managed to shrink so much". Hermione giggled slightly and blushed.

"Well in my 4th year, this boy, Draco Malfoy was trying to hex Harry. His spell missed and hit me instead. Malfoy had always made fun of my teeth anyway, and they started growing. And I mean they grew down to my jaw and didn't stop. So I went to Madame Pomfrey and she shrunk them but I had to tell her when they were the right size. And I just let her shrink them a bit smaller than they had been." Hermione smiled slightly at the memory. Draco had taken such a bad road. She hadn't seen him in years; she hoped his life had gotten back on track.

Sirius grimaced.

"Draco Malfoy, right I'll remember to curse him if we ever meet" Sirius grinned and Hermione laughed and wriggled closer to his chest.

"I'm pretty sure you don't ever meet him"

"Aww shame. The git deserves it"

"I hit him earlier today. I slapped him right in the across the face before we went to visit Hagrid. Have to admit it, it felt good"

"Ata Girl!" Sirius cheered and grinned. Then he sighed. Although he loved hearing stories about Hermione's time a Hogwarts, he just couldn't enjoy it as much as usual. He just couldn't take his mind off of what was to come.

"You are going to be fine Sirius!"

"Hermione please, don't sugar coat it. I've just got to face it like a man."

"He's there!" Harry's voice came through the window. Then there was a knock on the glass. Sirius looked up. His jaw dropped. It was lucky Hermione was hidden in shadow, because there outside the window on Buckbeak was Harry and Hermione.

"I told you I wouldn't let them kiss you" Hermione smiled and disappeared into the darkness.

The window burst open from Harry's spell before Sirius could even say a word.

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><p><strong>Author's note- 60 reviews! I love you guys so much! Maybe we could reach 70? Or more? (hint, hint ;) ) but in all siriusness I thank you muchly. Plus thank you to all of you who show your support through following and favouriting the story and the author. It means the world. <strong>

**I was going to post this next weekend but I'm going to a music festival (finger's crossed for nice weather!) and instead of making you guys wait two more weeks I decided to post it today. Think of it as a thank you for the reviews lol. So thanks you guys.**

** Til our paths cross again... x**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

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><p><strong>Dislaimer - I do not own the characters or places mentitoned in this fic. <strong>

**Warning- This chapters gets quite dark.**

**FYI- It is set in Hermione's present day.**

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><p>The room was large. The largest in the entire manor. He needed it to be big. The four walls were plain, grey stone and the ceiling held an exquisite piece of artwork that would put Michelangelo's Sistine chapel ceiling to shame. There were no paintings on the walls, magical or not. The floor was made of smooth, perfectly fitted together stone tiles. A magnificent table long enough for a hundred people to sit around comfortably was in the centre of the room with about a hundred chairs.<p>

The leader of the silent group sat on an enormous chair, at the head of the table. The chair had originally been used for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named but the Dark Lord was gone. Dead. Because of them. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

The group was quite large, all dressed in black robes and hoods covering their faces. The man sat at the head of the table was tall and thin. He had aged well and still had the trademark pinched chin and white blond hair. He was still as much the Prince of Slytherin as he had ever been and had an elegant essence, which cause the crowd to gaze adoringly at him. Draco Malfoy had always been a charmer. Not to the Gryffindors of course, but he could be very persuasive if he needed to be. He managed to fool the Wizengamot of his innocence for example. It helped of course that Potter and his friends told the jury about how he had been pushed to do things he didn't want to do. How he had been threatened and scared.

Well he had been scared, he had been threatened. But that didn't mean he hadn't believed in the cause. And he wasn't afraid anymore. His father had died in Azkaban. His mother stayed in her room most days, not talking to anyone and barely eating a thing. At least when Lord Voldemort was in control, the Malfoys were respected and feared. Despite being worried for their lives, they had been fairly happy. They may have fallen from grace slightly but they had still been high up on the death eater food chain. But that was gone now. He was alone.

Astoria had left him, claiming that his memories of the past were driving him to obsession and she didn't want Scorpius exposed to his father's past. It could corrupt the young boys mind. But Draco didn't need them. This time he would be on top. No one would be threatening him; he would be the Dark Lord. He would get his revenge on the Golden Trio and the Order of the Phoenix. This time, he won't be a coward; he will do his father proud.

The Order of the Mark had been formed a few months ago and already their numbers were growing. The relatives of dead or imprisoned death eaters, Voldemort supporters, Draco's admirers, all sorts of witches and wizards joined up. Some joined to avenge old friends and relatives, some joined to try and change the wizarding world to their design, and some joined to get closer to Draco. This time round however, Draco had been unable to encourage any of the magical creatures to join them. Curse that Hermione Granger. It seemed she had been working tirelessly to bring rights to very stinking creature in the wizarding world.

Draco wasn't trying to get rid of muggles and muggle-borns. He wasn't trying to become minster of magic. He wasn't trying to get laid. He was doing for one sole purpose. To wipe out the Golden Trio. If he even managed to kill one of them, he would die a happy man. Potter, Weasley and Granger, while his life had gone down the toilet, they seemed to be flying higher than ever. That's why he wanted at least one of them dead. But he wasn't just going to Avada them. No that would be too painless. They deserved to suffer like his father had suffered, like his mother still did, plagued by the memories of that night. The night the dark lord fell. That is why Draco had experts experimenting. They were creating a new spell. Diu Molesta Mortem. They hadn't finished it yet. Hopefully it would cause its victim to suffer a long and painful death. The victim would suffer right until they drew their last breath.

And soon, one of the golden trio, loved by everyone, would die.

But until then they had other matters to see to.

"Progress report, Alaric Crabbe, any new Order houses?" Draco barked at the man sat on his left. Alaric was Draco's old crony from Hogwarts, Vincent Crabbe's nephew. Luckily for him, Alaric had not inherited his brains from his deceased uncle, and instead was working in the Auror office at the ministry of magic and so was the ideal person to go snooping around the old Order of the Phoenix files. Alaric was young. He was tall and athletic with dark messy hair. It often made Draco wonder how on earth the same family managed to produce both Alaric and Vincent. They were polar opposites. Alaric Crabbe and Draco's old friend, Blaise Zabini were almost like Draco's seconds in command. They were trusted with most details but not all. Draco knew he had to keep his deepest secrets to himself.

While working on Diu Molesta Mortem, the Order of the Mark carried out raids on the known Order of the Phoenix's homes. Strictly low key, no one ever even considered the deaths to be murders. They were careful. They hadn't attacked any of the key, well known members... yet.

"Yes, sir. And it's a big one" Alaric smirked. "I've got Neville and Luna Longbottom's address.". Draco smiled. He remembered those two.

"They were key members of the DA which as you know pretty much became the Order in the final Battle" Blaise said, "Aren't they a bit high profile for a raid?".

"Yes, Blaise is right. We wanted to wait and use the Mortem curse on the key players." Draco nodded.

"But sir, we also have an update on that front!" Pandora Parkinson beamed from her seat next to her mother Pansy. Pansy Parkinson was still chasing Draco Malfoy like she had done at school. She had never married nor had a serious relationship because like she repeatedly told him, she was waiting for Draco. A year after leaving Hogwarts, Pansy had gotten pregnant with Pandora and still nobody knows who the father is. Pandora had become their most valuable asset in creating the new spell, because unlike her mother, Pandora was a very talented witch. Unfortunately Pandora was just as obsessive as her mother and had her eye on Alaric. Everyone knew Pandora had only joined the Order of the Mark because of him, well every knew except Alaric himself. Pandora looked extraordinarily like her mother, with the dark hair and pug like face. She was fresh out of Hogwarts but it didn't stop her being one of the most talented witches sat around the table.

"We believe the spell is almost ready, we just need some test subjects" Pandora said excitedly, her eyes turning Alaric for his approval. Draco clapped his hands once.

"Then it is decided, we attack the Longbottoms tonight!" Draco grinned at his audience and the Order of the Mark cheered in anticipation.

**XXXX**

"Did you hear that?" Neville sat up suddenly in bed.

"Don't worry, if it was anything dangerous, I would have heard it. I'm good at hearing things. There was nothing to hear. Go back to sleep" Luna mumbled sleepily.

It was 3 o'clock in the morning. Mr and Mrs Longbottom had been, up until that moment, asleep. Their bedroom was dark, their house was silent. But Neville was sure he had heard something.

Neville was now the Herbology teacher at Hogwarts and was also Head of Gryffindor House. Luna was a wizard naturalist and had become incredibly successful. And the couple were still as in love as they had ever been. They were what every couple aspired to be. Happy. Undeniably and completely happy. They had great friends, a great relationship, great jobs and they were trying for a child.

"Seriously, I think I heard something downstairs"

"You're the Gryffindor, go check if you think you heard something" Luna groaned, still not having opened her eyes.

"Ok" Neville said nervously. He cautiously got out of bed. He padded downstairs in his slippers. Wand in his hand, he opened the door into the living room.

In the centre of the room, stood three cloaked figures. The one closest to him, raised his wand.

Luna sat, bolt upright in bed. There had been a scream. A scream of pain. Neville's scream of pain. She leaped out of their bedroom and grabbed her wand as she ran downstairs. But she was outnumbered and the shock of seeing Neville's writhing body on their carpet had distracted her long enough for the spell to be cast.

And another scream pierced the silence of the night.

**XXXX**

"Goodbye Sirius" Hermione grinned happily and she disappeared from Sirius's arms. Back in her flat, Hermione slumped onto the sofa, still smiling about her day with Sirius. It had been so lovely! She was in a bubble of pure content. It felt like nothing to could burst it.

There was a hurried knock at the door. Slowly, Hermione got up, a stupid grin still on her face, and answered the door. It was Ron.

"Hermione! We've been trying to reach you all day! Where have you been?" Ron said, there was an edge to his voice.

"Um, out, sorry what's the matter?" Hermione answered confused.

"It's Neville and Luna. They are in St Mungos. They were attacked last night"

At then Hermione's happy bubble burst.

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><p><strong>Author's note <strong>

**NEVILLE AND LUNA ARE GOING TO BE OK!**** This may have seemed a bit random**** but I have been planning this chapter since the beginining. So I hope it goes down well! **

**Thanks for the reviews and to the people who are following/favourited this story. **

**If anyone's interested diu Molesta Mortem is a spell I made up and just means long, painful death in Latin. **


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer - I do not own the characters or places in this fanfic apart from Alaric and Pandora whom I made up.<strong>

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><p>"Dragons are the first task?" Sirius said incredulously. "He's just a fourth year, how can they expect him to-"<p>

"But that's the point, they didn't expect to have a fourth year competing. Someone else put his name in" Hermione explained.

"Are you sure? It does sound like Harry to break the rules for everlasting glory or whatever you called it..."

"No, it sounds like James. Harry isn't James, Sirius!" Hermione replied calmly. They had had several conversations like that. Harry was a lot like James but Sirius seemed to be trying to replace his lost friend with his son. Harry wasn't James. He would never be James. He had too much Lily in him. Sirius knew that but he couldn't help it. Being out of Azkaban, back in the wizarding world (despite being in hiding) was bringing more and more memories flooding back. Hermione could tell and though she tried to comfort him, she didn't know what to do.

"Anyway. How's he supposed to beat a dragon?" Sirius tried changing the subject back.

"Well..."

**XXXXXXX**

"How are you guys feeling?" Hermione asked.

"Better. They're going to let us go home next week" Luna replied dreamily from her bed.

"Are you guys sure you want to go back there?" Hermione said. She knew if she had been attacked in her home, she would be hesitant about returning.

"We've put extra protection around our home. When we return, an intruder will have a hard time getting in. They aren't getting near Luna ever again" Neville said boldly and reached to link hands with his wife. Luna smiled warmly at Neville and squeezed his hand.

"We just want things to go back to normal" Neville shrugged "But what about the rest of you? Surely they'll come after all the old Order of the Phoenix members?"

"We've also got additional protection around our homes. Plus those of us who still live alone are moving in together. Seamus is temporarily living Dean because Seamus and Susan are fighting again. But they'll back together soon. Plus Harry and Ron have got half the Auror department searching for the people who attacked you. They'll lock them up" Hermione smiled.

"What about you Hermione?" Luna asked carefully.

"I'm still living in my flat. I can look after myself, always have, and always will"

"Hermione, you need a date. There's this guy I know. He'd be perfect for you-"

"Thanks Neville but I'm just not all that interested in guys" Hermione said awkwardly.

"Oh I know a girl who-"

"Although I'm sure she's lovely, Luna, I'm not really interested in girls either. I'm just not looking for a relationship. I'm fine on my own" Hermione half laughed humourlessly. How could she possibly tell them that she was seeing someone? Someone who had been dead for a long time. She had fallen in love with a dead man. She could admit it to herself now. She couldn't pin point the exact point when she had known. It had crept up on her. But she couldn't tell him. He had told her plenty of times but she couldn't tell him. There were too many things that had to happen. And each visit was coming closer to the last. She couldn't say those three little words that meant so much.

"You need someone Hermione. You don't have to be alone all the time" Luna patted her shoulder.

**XXXXXXX**

"Sirius?" Hermione called out. It was dark. Sirius had taken residence in a cave near to Hogwarts. It would never be found though. Inside it looked nothing like a cave, more like a small flat. Hermione and Sirius had spent the night together. Hermione usually didn't stay for long enough, so when she stayed for long amounts of time, they made use of it. Hermione had woken expecting to find Sirius asleep next to her, but he wasn't there.

"Sirius?" she called out again. She stood and looked around. There was a dim light coming from the mouth of the cave. Slowly she approached the entrance. It was Sirius, sat huddled over a piece of parchment with his wand alit with Lumos.

"Sirius?"

"Oh hi Hermione" Sirius jumped at the sound of her voice. He laid the quill he was holding and the parchment he was writing on, on the floor next to another piece of parchment.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to think of the right way to answer this letter." He picked up one of the pieces of parchment off the floor. Hermione took it and read it. The letter was made up of a sentence. A single question. It was from her.

"_Have you ever been in love Sirius?"_

She remembered this letter. She remembered it well. She then picked up the piece he had written on. The reply she also knew off by heart.

"_I was in love. Still am. With the same girl. I see her from time to time. She always seems to be there. Just when I need her. I will always love her, until the day I die."_

Sirius grimaced at her.

"Bet you never guessed I was talking about you" Sirius grinned and pulled her down to sit close to him.

"You know, I always wondered about the girl. We never met her or saw her, and you never told stories about her. And she didn't even show herself after you-" Hermione stopped herself.

"After I what?" Sirius raised a curious eyebrow.

"Never mind"

"Hermione?" he said quieter.

"I said never mind!" Hermione said harshly.

**XXXXXXX**

"The old members are going into hiding, they aren't living alone and are putting up better defences against us" Pansy Parkinson said. It wasn't an official meeting of the whole Order of the Mark; it was just Draco, Alaric, Blaise, Pansy and Pandora.

"Draco it's been months since the attack on the Longbottoms. Why haven't we raided any members since?" Blaise questioned their leader. Draco studied the small group cautiously.

"Think. The attack on the Longbottoms has frightened them. Security is tighter, they are living without risks. They are ready for any raids we could plan. So we wait. Make them think we've gone away. Make them think that we aren't much of a threat. Lull them into a false sense of security. Then, we attack" Draco smirked triumphantly. Pansy squealed with delight. Blaise and Alaric's eyes shone with understanding and agreement. Pandora smiled a little. She hadn't smiled in weeks, not since Alaric had rejected her advances.

**XXXXXXX**

"Any news Harry?" Hermione asked her friend. Hermione had gone to his office. Since becoming Head of the Auror department, Harry had even less spare time to see his friends, so Hermione had taken to coming to his office occasionally to catch up.

"None. This group. We know nothing about them. Absolutely nothing. We don't know who's in the group, where they meet or even what they call themselves. There haven't been any attacks since Neville and Luna. Why did they stop? Plus it's the summer holidays soon. I don't want James, Al and Lily coming home to be in danger. At least I know they are safe at Hogwarts"

"Yeah because we were always safe at Hogwarts" Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry laughed. Hermione patted Harry's knee.

"We'll sort it out. It'll all be ok" Hermione smiled, but inside her head, she was trying to solve all the same problems as Harry.

**XXXXXXX**

A yawn came from behind the kitchen door. Sirius looked up from his mug of hot chocolate.

"Hermione?" he whispered into the night.

"How did you know it was me?" a 15 nearly 16 year old Hermione came into the room.

"Couldn't sleep huh?" Sirius ignored her question. Although Hermione had been writing to him for a year now it still felt strange writing and talking to her. It was Hermione but not his Hermione. Not the Hermione who he had kissed the night before, or the one who had spent countless hours getting to know him. He had been expecting to see his Hermione, not her younger counterpart. But since Grimmauld Place was now headquarters and younger Hermione was staying for the holidays, he would run into her a lot more. It was different talking face to face rather than letters.

"Yeah. You too?" Hermione smiled slightly.

"I don't sleep very well" Sirius shrugged, not unless my Hermione is sleeping next to me, he added to himself. Young Hermione went and got herself a hot chocolate too and sat across from him.

"So how are you?" Hermione asked him politely.

Their conversation started off awkwardly but Sirius knew Hermione too well. Soon they were talking animatedly about anything, everything.

Mrs Weasley found them in the morning both slumped asleep in their chairs, still sat across from one another where they had talked till they fell asleep.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Sirius?" Younger Hermione said quietly, almost nervously. She was just about to leave for King's cross station, to return to Hogwarts. The Weasleys had already gone outside along with Harry. Hermione had stayed to say good bye.

She and Sirius had spoken almost every night of the holiday. Sirius cared about the young girl and not just because he loved the woman she would grow into, but he genuinely liked her. And young Hermione was less worried. She didn't seem to look over her shoulder as much as his Hermione did. His Hermione was always worried, always guilty, always thinking everything through a dozen times. Younger Hermione was happier. She had faced a lot and he knew she had a lot to come, but she was optimistic. He supposed that it was because his Hermione was always worried about ruining the time line or whatever.

"Yeah?

"See you at Christmas" she smiled. And then she hugged him. It was short hug. It was a friendly, comfortable hug. But it still made Sirius's heart flutter. She was so familiar but she wasn't her. She wasn't his Hermione, no matter how much she looked like her, smelt like her, talked like her. One day. One day she would be. At least he knew that she survives. She was one less person to worry about. Whatever was coming, whatever war or whatever battle, his Hermione survives. She lives on.

"See you at Christmas" Sirius chuckled. Hermione grinned and then ran out of the front door to catch up with the Weasleys and Harry.

"See you at Christmas indeed. You'd better get me a good present" a teasing voice came from behind him. His Hermione was stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Sirius smiled before enveloping her into his arms and bringing his lips to her.

Now she was his Hermione. And boy, he would've had her any other way.

**XXXXXXX**

The school year seemed to last forever. Sirius found himself counting down the days till Harry, Hermione and the Weasley children came back for Christmas and then for Easter. He was so bored and stir crazy.

The Wizarding World was changing rapidly. He could see it in the children and adult's eyes. Everyone was worried for their loved ones. Everyone was scared. And he could do nothing. Nothing. He was stuck in this stupid house. He wished he could be some use. To help someone, anyone. But he was stuck in the house that held every nightmare, with a house elf that despised his very existence, constantly reminding everyone what a waste of space he is, how useless Sirius Black is.

Once more he was a prisoner. Once more he was far from free. Once more he lived for Hermione's visits. She still meant everything to him. He loved her as much as he ever had, but Hermione still hadn't said it. Sirius would be patient though. She would say it. She had to say it. He needed her to say it.

_I love you._

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><p><strong>Author's note <strong>

**Thanks for reading. And thank you so much for the reviews, following the story and etc. It means a lot so thank you so much. **


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer- I have only borrowed JK Rowling's wonderful characters and I will return them all (apart from Fred, he's mine!)<strong>

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><p>"There's been another attack" Harry said gently.<p>

"Who?" Hermione signed sadly.

"Dean Thomas"

"It's happening all over again, I thought after you killed Voldemort we wouldn't have to worry about our loved ones getting hurt anymore" Hermione's hands were shaking.

"He's going to be all right. It seems they are trying to develop a new spell. But it isn't finished yet and so isn't lethal. But who knows what it will do when they finish it" Harry said unhappily. He had thought it would end too. Everyone had.

After the assault on the Longbottoms, it had been months with nothing, but in the past few weeks, nine old Order members had been attacked. They all recovered fairly quickly but the attacks were getting more serious each time. How long before someone was found dead? The group seemed to only be targeting Order of the Phoenix members, which was the only fortunate side.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"We think its best that until we catch the group behind the attacks, that the potential targets, you, me, Ron, and the rest of the Order, all stay in a safe house. Then we can know that everyone's safe and secure."

"Who's we?"

"Well, the Head of the Magical Law enforcement office, Gerald Parker, and many of the higher ranking aurors."

"But then if they do find us, they've found us all! We'll be sitting ducks!" Hermione protested.

"They won't find us. Parker has promised the highest level of security imaginable. We'll be safe. Trust me Hermione." Harry beseeched her.

"Ok, I guess" Hermione said but she still looked doubtful.

**XXXXXXX**

The Order of the Mark had had its numbers decreased dramatically. Many members had chickened out when they discovered how seriously the consequences of being caught were. Others had left the ranks due to boredom, or feeling unimportant. Now there were about twenty of them, but they were the ones who were loyal to the cause.

"They are going to be taken to a safe house. Every last one of them. Break into the safe house, you will have the element of surprise, they will not be suspecting an attack" A tall bony man was giving his report to Draco. His face was hidden by a hood of a deep regal red, his voice was calming and deep and slow. He gave off the impression of someone who you could trust with your life. But that might turn out to be one of the most dangerous things you ever do.

"But how will we get past the security? Surely they will have the best the ministry can provide!" Pansy protested looking to Draco. But Draco was smirking at the hooded man.

"But of course introductions are in order!" Draco laughed, "Please welcome our newest member, Gerald Parker" and the man lowered his hood, to reveal the face of the Head of Magical Law enforcement.

"But he's... he's... he works at the ministry!" Pansy squealed.

"I'm also in charge of the security of the safe house. I believe the term you are looking for is double agent." Gerald smirked nastily, he obviously thought very little of Pansy from the way he sneered down his nose at her.

"But why would a high ranking ministry baboon want to bring down the Order of the Phoenix?" Pansy protested further.

"I'm fed up of all the credit they got. I was on their side in the war, I lost family members and I fought alongside them. But does anyone else get mentioned? Of course not! Merlin's beard, people might think they brought the Dark Lord down on their own! If it had just been their small organisation, they would have all been slaughtered!" Gerald snarled. "My little sister was killed in battle, shot down by a death eater, but is she remembered as a hero? No, she isn't remembered at all". His eyes glazed over for a moment before he snarled once more. "So that's why I want to bring down the Order of the Phoenix and their pathetic golden trio, who have had everything handed to them on a silver platter. Happy?"

Pansy didn't say anything. In fact she stayed quiet for a long time. Draco watched Gerald's rant with a quiet amusement. People who knew loss were so easy to manipulate. It hadn't been difficult at all to convince Gerald Parker that it was the Order of the Phoenix that he should blame for the death of his sister. Too easy. So easy, he'd even managed to convince the man that these weren't Draco's own words planted into his head.

"Yes, yes thank you Gerald" Draco smiled. "Now Pandora, how is the spell coming along? I'm getting impatient!"

"Well, good news sir. It's finally finished!" Pandora beamed. Draco sighed.

"Yes, but that's what you said last time and that proved to be incorrect".

"But this time I'm correct"

Draco studied her for a moment then smiled a wicked smile.

"Remember ladies and gentlemen, when the time comes, I want the pleasure of wiping the life from Hermione Jean Granger, Harry James Potter and Ronald Bilius Weasley." Draco smiled to the group and received a cheer in response.

**XXXXXXX**

Sirius lifted their entwined fingers and looked at them. Tenderly he kissed each of Hermione's knuckles. Hermione smiled and watched him carefully. They were in Sirius's bedroom in Grimmauld Place. And it was like the rest of the world had faded away.

Hermione had moved into the safe house along with the rest of the order. It was strange seeing all of them all the time. It reminded her of her own fifth year, spending the holidays in Grimmauld place, order members coming and going all the time. They were fond memories but these were not fond times. Everyone was older now, everyone had turned into couples. Harry and Ginny, Ron and Lavender, Neville and Luna, Dean and Seamus (the argument between Seamus and Susan had, it turned out been Seamus finally emerging from the closet and he had since moved in and formed a relationship with Dean Thomas) and so many others. Plus this time she was the adult. It was Teddy Lupin, Victoire Weasley, Dominque Weasley , Louis Weasley, Molly Weasley, Lucy Weasley, Fred Weasley, Roxanne Weasley, Daisy Weasley *, Petal Weasley*, James Potter, Albus Potter and Lily Potter who were the ones who would come for the holidays now. But for now they were safe at Hogwarts.

It was only around Sirius, Hermione felt safe. Like nothing could hurt her. And soon he would be gone for Hermione knew that the end of her fifth year was approaching fast. She wondered what would happen when he died. Would she continue travelling to the past? But then she would be visiting someone who was no longer there. Would her travelling just stop? From what Dr Mistletone had told her, it wasn't something that went away on its own.

"I love you" Sirius whispered against her fingers.

"I know" Hermione sighed her usual response. Sirius frowned. He pulled his fingers out of her grasp and sat on the end of his bed, far away from her.

"You always say that" he said, not looking at her. "Why don't you say it back?"

"I can't."

"Because you don't love me."

"Because it's wrong. You don't understand Sirius, this shouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have happened."

"That's not true! Everything has turned out the way it has because of you! Who pointed out James Potter to me on my first day of Hogwarts? Who stopped me from becoming the pureblood monstrosity my parents wanted me to be? Who told me all the details I needed to be here right now? You were always meant to come back for me Hermione. Stop pretending. Stop hiding behind that excuse!" Sirius shouted. Luckily Sirius had already sound proofed the room and locked the door. No one would hear or try to come in.

"It is true! In this time I am 16 years old. Don't you see that it's wrong? We're having a relationship when we both belong in different times. I'm not meant to be here. I was never meant to be here!"

"You were always meant to be here. With me. That's why you came back, that why I fell for you and I know you love me Hermione so just say it!" Sirius turned his head sharply to look at her. Pain emanated from his eyes. "I know it's not your usual relationship, but why should that stop us? We belong together Hermione, can't you see? We just fit. Two pieces that are whole when they are together, or is it only me that feels that way?"

"Oh Sirius-"

"Don't, just don't. I love you Hermione Granger, more than anyone I've ever met. You can make me feel a million galleons just by smiling at me. Yet you can't even admit how you feel! Merlin, I always thought it was the girls who were meant to get all lovey dovey. But I guess you're Hermione freaking Granger, you aren't like normal girls and that's why I'm so gaga for you!"

"Sirius I can't"

"I know" The anger seemed to disappear and it left Sirius sat hunched and vulnerable. Hermione crept up behind him and touched his shoulder. His eyes shone with unshed tears of frustration.

"I'm sorry" she whispered.

"I know" he said again not meeting her eyes. She brought her lips to his slowly, tenderly and then she faded and Sirius was alone.

**XXXXXXX**

Hermione sat on her own bed in the safe house, tears already on her cheeks. She had only sat for second before a loud crash followed by yells echoed in her ears. Then there was a hurried banging on her door. It was Ron.

"Hermione! Hermione! They're here! They've found us!"

* * *

><p><strong>*Daisy and Petal Weasley are Ron and Lavender's two daughters. Since Ron and Hermione never got married, Rose and Hugo were never born.<strong>

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><p><strong>Author's note<strong>

**Hope you readers liked it :) ****Thanks for the favourites, the followers and the reviews, it means the world. **


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer- I do not own the characters or places mentioned in this fic.<strong>

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><p>Everyone was moving. Running, screaming, sprinting, panicking. People were coming and going. People were pushing in a sudden crowd. Aurors were immerging and hooded witches and wizards were trying to get the centre of what was brewing. Some of the people, who had been living in the safe house, were fleeing for their lives. They had done their fighting many years ago. Now they were running.<p>

Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her through the crowd. The corridor outside her bedroom was narrow before the attack, now it seemed to have shrunk even more. Memories were blinding Hermione. Memories of Hogwarts readying for battle. Students preparing to fight. Ron's hand on hers, keeping her fighting. But they weren't students anymore. They weren't young. They weren't inexperienced. If anything, they were fully qualified for battle, but they had always hoped they wouldn't have to fight. Not again.

Ron was pulling her into the central room of the safe house. The room where the battle was already underway. The people who would fight would come here and so would their enemies. The room had always been used as a communal dining room. It held a long table in the centre of the room and everyone would sit around it. There had been a lot of people living in the safe house. More than anyone had realised. Not even Hermione had recognised all of the people. The Golden Trio may have been the face of the Order of the Phoenix, the D.A. and the resistance against Voldemort but it had been so much bigger than they had realised.

Ron didn't ask Hermione whether she would fight or not. He knew her too well. That's why he took her straight there. Straight into battle. She was Hermione Granger the brightest witch of her generation. And one of Harry Potter's best friends. She would never ever run.

Harry was already duelling a familiar face. Draco Malfoy it seemed was fed up of sending others to do his dirty work. It all made sense. The organisation the Aurors hadn't been able to catch... it had been him behind it. He hadn't changed. He was screwing up his life all over again. Draco saw Hermione and smirked. He was effortlessly casting spells left and right and forward at Harry, who was doing the same. It seemed the blond had trained and prepared. How long had he been planning this attack?

"Ah the mudblood has decided to join us!" Draco sniggered and then dodged a particularly nasty hex from Harry.

"Nice to see the ferret has decided to show himself, now we can finally get rid of you!" Hermione spat at him, casting her own spells as she did so. "Don't worry Harry, I've got Malfoy, he won't get past me". Harry nodded and went to challenge another.

"So confident. We aren't in school anymore Granger, I can use real curses like this" Draco sent an angry scarlet jinx her way, "and this" a violet one, "and this!" a dark grey spell. Hermione avoided them effortlessly.

"Don't you know by now, I can defeat you in my sleep. I've grown up, I've learnt from my mistakes. You're still the spoilt, angry little fool you were at Hogwarts. You got a second chance and you even managed to screw that up"

Spells were flying from all around the room. Everyone was engaged in combat. Ginny was duelling Pansy. Ron was locked in battle with Alaric. Harry was battling Pandora and Zabini. Seamus and Dean were sparring with two more foes. And so was Lavender. Neville and Luna were fighting and so were George and Angelina. Cho and her husband, Oliver, Alicia and Katie were all fighting. Padma had fled but her sister Parvati was fighting. Hannah, Susan, Terry, Michael, Dennis, Justin, Anthony, Lee, Ernie, Zacharias, Bill, Fleur, and many other people Hermione didn't know the names of were all fighting.

"I have changed. This time the battle is mine. This was my choice not something I was pushed and bullied into. You have no idea Granger. I've been planning for so long. I've been planning so long to achieve my goal" Draco muttered barely loud enough for Hermione to hear. Throughout their exchanged words, their wands did not falter.

"Your goal? Let me guess... to wipe out muggle born like Voldemort" Hermione laughed humourlessly. Draco flinched at his old master's name.

"No. To wipe out you." Draco growled. Their battle became faster and more furious.

All around them the Order of the Phoenix were winning. The Order of the mark was severally outnumbered and it seemed only their bloodlust kept them fighting on. The Order of the Phoenix's number outweighed them in number, power and skill. Plus Aurors were joining the battle. This time the Ministry was on the right side.

There were very few casualties. Nothing a quick trip to St Mungos couldn't fix. The Order of the Mark were being restrained and sent straight to Azkaban. The Order of the Mark should have stayed in the shadows. There they had ruled due to the element of fear and secrecy. In the shadows, Draco Malfoy was a leader of terror. Now in the open, his followers could see they were in over their heads. And that Draco's decisions were those of an obsessed and spoilt child.

Soon it was only Draco and Hermione fighting. He was good. He had learnt a lot since Hogwarts but she was Hermione Granger. She was always better.

"Stupefy!" Hermione's simple but effective spell sneaked under his defences and knocked him out cold. Hermione let out a triumphant "ha!" before turning and joining her friends. Luna was sporting a bloody lip; Ron's arm looked like it had been dislocated. Lavender had a cut on her cheek that had only just stopped bleeding. Harry was fine, just a little out of breath. They weren't as young as they used to be after all. Everyone was fine. The panic was over. The group that thrived in secrecy and shadows, had been thwarted. Everything seemed so much brighter. They could go home without fear of attack. And all because Draco had assumed the attack on them would be easy.

Everyone was hugging and laughing with triumph. They forgot about the out cold Draco Malfoy on the floor. He was no longer a threat, they could deal with him later...

"Diu Molesta Mortem" a choked yell sounded. Draco had woken up. The same Draco they had momentarily forgotten about. The same Draco, they had forgotten to take the wand from. The wand that was now pointed at Harry Potter.

Everything seemed to slow down. Hermione knew this wasn't a normal spell. This wasn't harmless. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew. She didn't have time to think of a counter curse so she did the only thing she could think to do.

She threw herself in front of her best friend and the spell hit her.

Aurors threw themselves on top of Draco, tackling him to the floor and wrestling his wand away.

But it was too late.

Hermione dropped to the floor. Pain. Unbelievable and unendurable pain. Her breaths became short and quick, she was trying not to scream. She let out several whimpers.

"Hermione!" Several people shouted as she fell. Harry was first to her side. Then there was Ron. Her best friends. Her family.

"Hermione what spell was that?" Ron asked pain from watching her writhe in agony, in his eyes.

"It's going to kill her! The mudblood will suffer a long and painful death." Draco was yelling and laughing like a man gone mad. He had passed insane a long time ago.

"No! Hermione you can't die! Not for me!" Harry was shaking. Tears were moisturising his eyes and spilling onto his cheeks behind his glasses.

"Hermione please don't leave us" Ron whimpered, tears also shining in his eyes.

The whole of Hermione's body was shaking violently.

"You... are... my... best... friends... my family... I... love... you both... so... much" every word was a struggle. But she needed them to know. She needed them to hear it, one last time.

"I wouldn't have stood a chance without you Hermione" Harry smiled through his tears.

"You are most intelligent and amazing and powerful and scary and wonderful person I've ever met." Ron took her hand in his.

"We love you so much" they said together. Despite the pain, Hermione managed a small smile.

Then something strange happened. It was like she was fading. Just disappearing into thin air. Was this part of the spell?

**XXXXXXX**

Sirius was alone in his bedroom. He was waiting for news about Harry. It seemed Harry thought Sirius had been captured by Voldemort. He had told Snape that he was in the Department of Mysteries. And like always, Sirius had to stay in the house and wait. Always waiting.

Then he heard shallow breaths from the floor and the occasional whimper of pain. It was Hermione.

Sirius stumbled to her side and cradled her head in his lap. He stroked her hair.

"Hermione?" he said fearfully.

"I... got hit... by... a... spell... Sirius... I'm... dying... " Hermione whimpered. Sirius didn't know what to do or think. He couldn't think. His brain wasn't working. Hermione couldn't die. She couldn't leave him. He couldn't imagine a world without Hermione in it, somewhere, sometime.

"You can't" Sirius sobbed and tears were dripping off his face.

"I'm... sorry... for everything" Hermione whispered. Her body was shaking more violently.

"Please Hermione. Don't, please, just live, please!" Sirius's body was shaking almost as much as Hermione's.

"I... I... I love you Sirius Black" Hermione whispered. The words hit Sirius like a cannon. How cruel. The words he had waited so long to hear, delivered in a moment he had hoped would never come.

"I love you Hermione. Always and forever."

Hermione smiled through the pain and closed her eyes. He body gave one final shudder and Hermione Granger was dead. In the next moment, her body disappeared from Sirius's arms and he was alone.

"Sirius!" Remus barrelled into his room without knocking. Hurriedly Sirius brushed the tears from his face but he couldn't hide his bloodshot eyes. Sirius wasn't himself. It was like part of him was missing. He had gone a deathly white, almost grey. Sirius felt like he would never be happy again. But Remus was too preoccupied to notice.

"Sirius its Harry! He and his friends have broken into the Ministry, looking for you! We've got to go!" Remus said quickly and then left the room to tell any others that were in the house.

Harry and his friends were in trouble.

Hermione.

He had lost her once tonight; he wasn't going to let some Death eater scum take her away again.

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><p><strong>Author's note <strong>

**PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! THIS WAS ALWAYS GOING TO HAPPEN! But I still have one more chapter. The final chapter. The conclusion, the finale. It's all written and ready to post. But when do I post it? A lot of reviews will make it come faster ... ;) **

**Hopefully it will be up by this weekend or next Monday ish. **

**Thank you so much for the reviews and favourites and followers and such :) its means so much to know that people are reading this. **

**Just a heads up, after I post the final chapter I will be changing my name to Forever Mione (and a number if I have to). **

**Thanks!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen - The Final Chapter**

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><p><strong>Forever Mione formerly known as Forever young 14<strong>

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><p><strong>Disclaimer- I do not own the characters and the places mentitioned in this fanfic. Anything you recognise is from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by the wonderful JK Rowling.<strong>

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><p><strong>This chapter is dedicated to;<br>lily, wildflowerxx12, Uhlowl22, ItsOnMars, BloodLess18, Weasley-and-Proud, Aphaia, tuityfruity333, Anna, StoryReader9, jujulicia, Emgirl3396, Booklover9477, phoenixflamesimmortal, acelili, Sweetpea3397, CaribbeanTrinidadian, Comixandco, MTjericho, TsukiyoTenshi, ReaderSkeeter, Dozy Dora, Fantasyfreak101, dulciwik, ThiefOfMagic, SoulEaterCookieX3, Cadeyrn Lux, Avis Alice, DGfleetfox, Jules 31, ashrachellexx, Got wrackspurts, Elma Trisara, embirsiphonelilathia, Bluebird1125, lilo, Eltanin Rose, Catgirlie, bridgetlynn, Marine76, Daughter of Chaos 98, Sliverwing and Shiver, faithindestiny, Kel, AvadaYourButtOff, DontCountMeOut, LuvSiriusBlack, Fanfic1900, jamber17.**

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><p>Only one pair where still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: he was laughing at her.<p>

"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.

The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.

Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais.

It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.

Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfather's wasted, once handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in high wind, then fell back into place.

What Harry didn't see was the condemned man's eyes searching frantically to find the girl with bushy hair. If he was going to die he wanted her face to be the last thing he ever saw.

Then everything went black for Sirius Black for the final time and he took his last breath.

**XXXXXXX**

He lay face down, listening to the silence. He was perfectly alone. Nobody was watching. Nobody else was there. He was not perfectly sure that he was there himself.

A long time later, or maybe no time at all, it came to him that he must exist, must be more than disembodied thought, because he was lying, definitely lying, on some surface. Therefore he had a sense of touch, and the thing against which he lay existed too.

Almost as soon as he had reached this conclusion, Sirius became conscious that he was naked. Convinced as he was of his total solitude, this did not concern him, but it did intrigue him slightly. He wondered whether, as he could feel, he would be able to see. In opening them, he discovered that he had eyes.

He lay in a bright mist, though it was not like mist he had ever experienced before. His surroundings were not hidden by cloudy vapour; rather the cloudy vapour had not yet formed into surroundings. The floor on which he lay seemed to be white, neither warm nor cold, but simply there, a flat, blank something on which to be.

He sat up. His body appeared unscathed. He touched his face. He felt agility in his body that hadn't been there for many years, and the creases that worry and pain had etched on his face were no longer there.

Then a noise reached him through the unformed nothingness that surrounded him: the small soft padding of feet approaching him.

For the first time, he wished he were clothed.

Barely had the wish formed in his head than robes appeared a short distance away. He took them and pulled them on. They were soft, clean, and warm. It was extraordinary how they had appeared just like that, the moment he had wanted them...

He stood up, looking around. Was he in some great Room of Requirement? The longer he looked, the more there was to see. A great domed glass roof glittered high above him in sunlight. Perhaps it was a palace. All was hushed and still, except for those steady, quiet footfalls coming nearer and nearer...

Sirius turned slowly on the spot, and his surroundings seemed to invent themselves before his eyes. A wide-open space, bright and clean, a hall larger by far than the Great Hall, with that clear domed glass ceiling. It was quite empty. He was the only person there, except for... a figure. A woman walking towards him.

The woman was young, younger than the last time he had seen her. Her dark, bushy hair seemed to be bursting from her scalp. Her intelligent, compassion filled eyes were so beautifully familiar; a grin erupted onto his face. He started to stumble forwards to meet her and she sped up. Soon they were running. Hermione Jean Granger threw her arms around his neck and he half lifted her from the floor.

He rained small, soft kisses onto her face, neck, shoulders and Hermione simply stroked his hair.

"Oh Hermione" his voice cracked, she could feel the warm tears spilling from his eyes.

"I love you Sirius Black" Hermione smiled as she pulled back.

"Really?" Sirius asked. She was here- in his arms- once again. He thought he would never see her beautiful face again. It seemed too good to be true.

"Yes, I love you, I love you, I love you" she laughed and kissed his nose.

"I love you too. So much. I didn't know how I could go on when you..." realisation hit him.

"But you're dead," said Sirius, all sense of sensitivity forgotten.

"Oh yes," said Hermione tears filling her own eyes now.

"Then... I'm dead too?"

Slowly Hermione nodded.

"You knew? The whole time? You knew how I would die?" Sirius asked her studying her face. She nodded.

"I'm sorry" she whispered. Then Sirius held her so close it was like he was trying to join their bodies into one.

"It's ok" he grinned. Considering he'd just died, he felt... Well he felt free. He felt at peace for the first time in such a long time. It had been quicker and easier than falling asleep.

"What about Harry?" Sirius's asked suddenly remembering his godson.

"He wins. He beats Voldemort. It's a long story and there are other people who want to talk to you first" Hermione smiled. She entwined their hands and spun his body around so he could see the approaching figures.

One of them was a woman. She had startling green eyes and beautiful red hair. She was wearing a kind, compassionate smile and she reached Sirius first. She hugged him and laughed at his look of surprise.

"Lily?" Sirius asked in disbelief. The redhead head laughed at his surprise and nodded happily.

The next two people to reach him were holding hands. One was a short woman and the other a rather shabby looking man. The woman had deep purple hair (for now) and was younger than the others. The man was tall and a little worse for wear but he looked better than Sirius had ever seen him. Remus Lupin looked happy. Truly and immensely happy. Tonks held his hand protectively as if she was expecting Sirius to tell her off. Sirius looked at their hands in shock.

"You two? I never saw that coming" Sirius chuckled and Tonks relaxed a bit. Remus laughed and embraced his old friend like a brother.

"Wotcher Sirius" Tonks grinned before he pulled her into a hug.

There was one final figure now. The one figure that Hermione knew Sirius had been desperate to see for nearly 16 years.

The young man walking towards them had dark, unkempt black hair but his glasses were gone. It seemed no one needed glasses here. The figure was walking forward with a certain strut that Snape had loved to accuse Harry of inheriting. James Potter greeted his very best friend with a nervous wave. They seemed to be nervous to approach each other. Sirius was frightened it was a dream. There were tears in both of the man's eyes and finally they stumbled forwards and clung to each other like lifebelts.

It was a long time before Sirius and James broke apart.

"What are you all doing here?" Sirius asked.

"Time is a bit strange here. Remus, Tonks and I arrived before you, despite um... you know... you dying first" Hermione smiled.

"Does that mean... Remus and Tonks?"

"Yes, Sirius. We died and we'll tell you the whole story in a while." Remus said gently. Sirius swore before looking from to Remus and Tonks, repeating over and over I'm sorry.

"Where are we, exactly?" Sirius asked after a minute of silence looking intently at the surroundings.

"Well, I was going to ask you that," said Hermione, looking around. "We've all pooled in ideas but we've come up with a blank?"

Until Hermione had asked, Sirius had not known. Now, however, he found that he had an answer ready to give.

"It looks," he said slowly, "like King's Cross station. Except a lot cleaner and empty, and there are no trains as far as I can see."

"That's what I said!" Hermione grinned up at him.

"Now what do we do?" Sirius asked.

"Well from what we've gathered from all the others who have passed through here in the past, we would be able to... let's say... board a train." Remus said solemnly.

"And where would it take us?" Sirius asked quickly despite himself.

"On," said Hermione gently.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Tonks laughed. At her laughter, everyone smiled in anticipation. Tonks boldly dragged Remus by the hand. Together they ran full speed into a column, which Sirius hadn't noticed before, and then they were gone. It reminded Sirius of the entrance to platform 9¾.

James patted Sirius's shoulder and took Lily's hand. The parents of the boy who lived ran at full pelt towards the column and then they too were gone.

"Wait" Hermione said quickly, touching Sirius's shoulder. Sirius turned to look at her.

"I want you to know, I'm so sorry for not telling you what lay ahead. I'm sorry I caused so much trouble and angst for you. I'm sorry I died and left you all alone. I'm sorry..." Sirius interrupted Hermione's apologies with a kiss.

It started off gentle but soon the pair where clinging to each other and kissing as if there was no tomorrow. It was a kiss of love, forgiveness, passion protection, longing and most of all relief.

Hermione had never felt more powerful, more safe or more at home then she did when she was in his arms.

Sirius had never felt so reckless, so free or so magical as he did with that kiss. She had finally said them. The words he had desperately wanted to hear. She had told him she loved him when she had died but now he could tell her and show her just how much those three little words meant to him.

"I love you Hermione Granger" he whispered as he moved to plant butterfly kisses onto her neck.

"I love you too Sirius Black" Hermione breathed as she ran her fingers seductively through his hair.

"You ready for the next big adventure?" Sirius grinned as he looked her in the eyes.

"I can't wait!" Hermione cheered. Then together, hand in hand, they ran towards the column.

And together they parted this life.

**XXXXXXX**

Many years after the death of Hermione Granger, Harry Potter picked up his photo album. The photo album Hagrid had given to him in his first year of Hogwarts. Since Hermione had died, he hadn't looked at the photos inside the little photo album. He missed Hermione dreadfully. She had been one of his best friends. She had stayed when Ron had left. It had been such a long time ago but Harry had never forgotten. He wasn't sure he would've gotten through without Ginny and Ron's support. It had affected Ron just as much as Harry. The Golden Trio had been broken. Ripped apart. Harry thought of Hermione's last few years. She had seemed a little distant, distracted. All he had ever wanted for Hermione was for her to be happy. She had deserved it.

He sat on his armchair. He was alone in the house. Ginny was at work, the children were at Hogwarts. He opened the album and looked at the pictures of his family. His parents, the Weasleys, Sirius, Remus, the Order of the Phoenix and Hermione. Tears filled up his eyes as he turned each stiff page. In the section with photos from his parents wedding, he found a familiar picture. It was his godfather. He was laughing. He looked so happy. He was dancing and talking with a girl. She was smiling and talking. Dancing and laughing. He had never seen his godfather look so happy, so carefree. Harry must have looked at this picture a thousand times. This was the first time he looked at the girl he was dancing with. The girl had bushy brown hair and dark eyes. It was Hermione, Sirius was laughing and dancing with. She looked the happiest she had looked in years. But this wasn't right. Hermione couldn't have attended his parents wedding, it was impossible.

But he supposed terrible things happened to folk who meddle with time.

Harry didn't know all the facts and some questions are best left unanswered.

Hermione went through terrible things but as we well know, she wouldn't have had it any other way.

Harry framed the photo of Sirius and Hermione and put it on the mantle for everyone to see, so Sirius and Hermione could talk, laugh, smile and dance together forever.

And when anyone asked about the picture, all Harry said was

"Hermione was an incredible witch. But not even she could stop herself from falling through time"

_The End_

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><p><strong>And it is finished. Thank you so much for reading, following, favouriting and reviewing this story. This was my first multi-chaptered story that I've completed and I've enjoyed it so much, it's hard to let it go really. Thank you all and I hope you have enjoyed my little fanfic. Reviews are much appreciated and I can't thank you enough. <strong>

**:) **


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